Calcium Supplements and Heart Attack Risk: What the Research Says – Healthline

Even researchers have a hard time agreeing on the potential effects of calcium on cardiovascular disease. Studies related to calcium and heart problems have shown conflicting results.

Sometimes, conflicting results are due to studies using different selection criteria. That means they might differ in how they study or define heart illness. For example , some studies included patients who self-reported their heart attacks . Other studies only considered those who got an official diagnosis.

To review the most recent research, we looked at new meta-analysis data. A meta-analysis looks at many studies and combines their results to see if there are patterns. Here are some results from these studies.

• A 2021 review of studies found that will dietary calcium mineral intake associated with between 700 to 1, 000 milligrams the day or a supplementary intake of 1, 500 milligrams a day significantly increased a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease plus coronary heart disease, which can lead to myocardial infarction. Healthy, postmenopausal women were especially at risk.
• 2020 research studied individuals for 20 years and found that getting calcium supplements was associated with a lower risk of death from multiple causes. The researchers also found that women (but not men) that took calcium supplement supplements had reduced risks for cardio and all-cause mortality (death from any cause).
• The 2019 study of more than 130, 000 people didn’t find a connection between calcium supplements and coronary heart attack. However , calcium dietary supplements paired with vitamin D helped to reduce the risk of center attack, especially for those already at high risk.

Researchers acknowledge you will find challenges to linking calcium supplements with cardiovascular disease or heart attack risk. Many of the studies reviewed didn’t specifically relate in order to this topic, but instead looked at various health habits.

To be clear, researchers haven’t identified how supplements may increase heart disease risk. That doesn’t mean they don’t have some ideas for potential reasons. These include :

• Oral calcium supplementation can increase the body’s calcium concentrations for some time. Researchers have previously identified that people with a genetic tendency to have higher blood calcium levels are at higher risk of coronary disease and myocardial infarction.
• Higher calcium mineral levels could increase the likelihood that calcifications (hardened deposits of calcium) will build up on the blood vessels. These calcifications cause your blood vessels to not work as well, as blood can’t flow as easily.
• Excess calcium supplement could affect how well blood clots in the body.

Calcifications in the bloodstream in the particular heart can build up as “plaque” (not the same as what’s on your teeth, but definitely harmful). This plaque is an early sign associated with a heart attack and increases your likelihood of heart attack.

Hypocalcemia (too little calcium) can be dangerous too . You may have all sorts of symptoms that include muscle cramping, seizures, breathing problems, difficulty thinking, and increased risks for congestive coronary heart failure. A balance is definitely necessary.

Calcium is a mineral naturally present in your bones. As you age, you’re at greater probability of the bone-thinning illness called osteoporosis . If you do not get enough calcium (about 700 to at least one, 200 milligrams per day ) in your own daily diet, your current doctor may recommend taking calcium supplements.

Ideally, doctors hope that will increasing calcium supplements in your daily diet makes you less likely to get fractures (bone breaks) from brittle bones. Nevertheless , when research about calcium supplements plus heart attack risk came about, a few doctors were hesitant to recommend supplements.

The following are some commonly asked questions about lime and health.

Should I reduce the amount of calcium in my diet?

In a word, no. Unless you have a health condition where your doctor has particularly told a person to reduce every day calcium, an individual shouldn’t decrease your limescale intake.

Your body needs lime scale to complete a number of functions, including building healthy bones. Low ca (symbol) intakes in addition to levels might also increase your risk regarding death .

What is the recommended daily amount of kalzium I should have?

The particular International Osteoporosis Foundation recommends different calcium intakes based on your age. As anyone get older, the body is less able to absorb calcium into your bones. This means that you need more calcium mineral as you age.

What are several nondairy calcium supplement sources?

Dairy products don’t have to be your only daily calcium supplements source. Other foods of which have lime include:

• bok choy
• broccoli
• curly kale
• nuts, such as almonds
• tofu that’s calcium-set

Food manufacturers may possibly also fortify (add) limescale into other foods, such as bread, cereals, and juice.

The research will continue on lime scale supplementation and even heart attack risks. However, no study has definitively proven the fact that calcium supplements are harmful, and some studies have found positive heart-health effects associated with taking them.

Talk with a doctor about how calcium supplements can benefit your own personal health and if you ought to have any concerns given your wellness history.