Calcium supplements increase the risk of heart disease while a calcium-rich diet protects against it, a new study has found.
Vitamin and mineral supplements for calcium are taken by 43% of American nowadays, with more than half of women over 60 of them looking to combat the possibility of osteoporosis. The study examined 2,700 adults to determine how these supplements affect our cardiovascular system.
Dr. Erin Michos — associate director of preventive cardiology at Johns Hopkins’ University’s Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease — launched the study. The research examined data over a 10-year span from patients in the age of 45 to 85 who were asked about their daily diet and supplements.
“But our study adds to the body of evidence that excess calcium in the form of supplements may harm the heart and vascular system,” Michos said in a news release.
These patients underwent CT scans to examine their hearts and determine how healthy they are over the years. The move applies to supplements specifically, as foods rich in calcium do not contain the same negative element.
“It could be that supplements contain calcium salts, or it could be from taking a large dose all at once that the body is unable to process,” study co-author John Anderson said.
He added that the right way of consuming these products is by sticking to the directions given by each prescription bottle to ensure you don’t go over.
Sherri E. White
