Calcium Supplements Linked to Heart Attack Risk

An international team of scientists have linked calcium supplements to an increased risk of heart attacks.

Medical researchers from New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States examined five studies of more than 8,000 people. Half of the people in question were using some form of calcium supplements. Adjusting for patients’ age and sex, the risk of heart attack was at its highest when calcium intake from food was above average. Of the study subjects, 143 heart attacks occurred in supplement users. 111 heart attacks struck placebo users. Another possible link was discovered between calcium supplements and sudden death or stroke, but the link was not statistically significant. Researchers suggested that for patients needing calcium, an assessment of heart attack risk might be necessary before prescribing supplements.

Osteoporosis, a bone weakening condition, affects as many as ten million Americans and three million people in the United Kingdom. As people age, bone breakdown gradually may occur more than bone buildup, leading to weak bones and increased risk of breakage. Calcium can strengthen the skeleton, with storage of the mineral primarily occurring in the teeth and bones. Calcium is found in an assortment of dairy products as well as some vegetables.