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Calcium Supplements Lead To Heart Attack

Studies carried out in Aberdeen and Auckland Universities show that taking calcium pills increases the risk of heart attack. This association was found after analyzing 11 studies that covered about 12,000 individuals who take calcium supplements of 500 mg or more.

The calcium supplements are usually recommended to older women as part osteoporosis treatment. However, most researchers are of the opinion that these calcium pills increase the levels of serum calcium in blood. The presence of abundant serum calcium hardens the arteries. The authors of the published study conclude that the levels of serum calcium in blood are linked to the increase in number of cases of heart attack due to hardened arteries.

Data shows that there has been an increase in heart attack cases where the patients used calcium pills. However, contrary to that, for most of the patients, only a slight increase in heart attack risk was noticed.

Instead of opting for pills, the best remedy for calcium deficiency is to include calcium in daily diet as it was found to have less effect on serum calcium levels in blood. Dairy products are the best source of calcium and can be used with relatively much smaller effect.

In cases where it is not possible to obtain calcium by diet, then supplements can be used as ‘top ups’ to get its recommended levels in body. There’s no added benefit of taking more calcium than the recommended amount of 700 mg per day.

Calcium supplements are beneficial in incidences of fracture and low bone density and hence are important for treatment of osteoporosis. But since it coagulates the blood arteries, it should be avoided if possible. Also, vitamin D intake can be increased to reduce the side-effects of excess calcium as vitamin D has the capacity to absorb additional calcium in the body.

Source:

British Medical Journal

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