Can Calcium Supplements Contribute to Heart Disease?

If you take calcium supplements, can this increase your risk for heart problems? The answer might be yes.

Two studies published in the British Medical Journal suggest that calcium supplementation may increase the risk of having a heart attack. While the studies remain controversial, they found an approximate 25% increase in the risk of heart attack for participants who took 500 mg of calcium per day.

One study included 24,000 people between the ages of 35 and 64, and it found that regular calcium supplementation increased the risk of heart attack by an astonishing 86% when compared to participants who took no calcium supplements.

Inorganic calcium sources

This news isn’t really all that new. In order to assess the risk of cardiovascular events or cardiac mortality, your doctor may perform a coronary/cardiac calcium scan. The wrong kind of calcium can end up in the wrong place in your body and result in serious adverse health effects. Many nutritionists caution against calcium from egg shell, oyster shell, limestone, and bone meal.

Our interest in taking calcium supplements generally stems from promotions by organizations that support osteoporosis research, many of which include calcium supplement makers as corporate donors.