According to a new study published in the Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention in the September issue, the risk of developing life threatening prostate cancer in men increases with increased levels of blood calcium.

The data of 2,814 men who took part in a long term study were analyzed by Gary Schwartz, co-author of the new study who is also an epidemiologist at Wake Forest University in Winston Salem, N.C and Halcyon Skinner, epidemiologist of the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

Of the 2,814 participants who gave blood samples, 25 died of prostate cancer after 10 years. While analyzing the data the researchers took in account the race, age and the weight of each participant.

The study revealed that men with higher blood calcium levels were more likely to die because of prostate cancer. The risk of lethal prostate cancer increased by as much as 2.7 times with higher blood calcium levels as compared to those with normal blood calcium levels.

According to Schwartz there are drugs available that can lower the blood calcium levels. Though the study does point out that calcium is linked to prostate cancer but researches clarified that further studies need to be done to ascertain the main culprit. It is still not clear if calcium is responsible or just acting as an indicator.