Researchers from the National Cancer Institute say that people with a lot of calcium in their diets are less likely to get cancer.

Women with a higher intake had a lower chance of cancer overall. Both men and women seemed less likely to get colorectal cancer or other digestive cancers, according to a news release on the study.

Researchers studied the diets of about 500,000 people from 1995 to 2003. During an average of seven years in the study, 12.6 percent of the men 8.3 percent of the women got cancer.

Over an average of 7 years of follow-up, 36,965 cancer cases were identified in men and 16,605 in women.

The Institute of Medicine recommends people over 50 get 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day. In this study, the data showed that women have a lower overall risk of cancer the more calcium they get. But, once they reach about 1,300 milligrams a day, there is no additional benefit.

Dairy products, which contain calcium and vitamin D, have also been shown to aid bone strength.

The report appeared in the Feb. 23 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.