Evidence supporting the use of: Lanthanum
For the health condition: Calcium Deposits
Synopsis
Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 4
Lanthanum, specifically in the form of lanthanum carbonate, is used in clinical medicine to manage hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). While not directly used to "treat calcium deposits," its mechanism is closely related. In CKD, elevated phosphate levels can lead to vascular and soft tissue calcification—essentially, calcium-phosphate deposits in tissues—contributing to morbidity and mortality. Lanthanum carbonate acts as a phosphate binder in the gastrointestinal tract, reducing phosphate absorption and consequently lowering serum phosphate levels. Lower serum phosphate helps reduce the risk of calcium-phosphate precipitation and deposition in tissues.
Multiple randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses have demonstrated that lanthanum carbonate effectively lowers serum phosphate levels and may reduce the progression of vascular calcification compared to calcium-based phosphate binders, which can paradoxically increase calcium load and promote calcification. For example, a 2010 meta-analysis in Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation found that non-calcium phosphate binders, including lanthanum, were associated with less vascular calcification than calcium-based binders. However, direct evidence that lanthanum removes established calcium deposits is limited; its primary benefit is in prevention rather than reversal of calcification. The scientific support for lanthanum in reducing the formation of new calcium-phosphate deposits in at-risk populations is strong, justifying a high evidence rating.