People taking calcium supplements more likely to have a heart attack

This is true that we need to supplement our intake of calcium while aging especially in women after menopause to control the conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis. Millions of people worldwide have been prescribed to take calcium pills daily as a safe way to help fight osteoporosis & osteopenia.

But researchers from the University of Zurich and German Cancer Research Centre in Heidelberg claimed their study adds to mounting evidence that the calcium supplements are “not safe or particularly effective” .

For their study, the researchers followed 23,980 people for 11 years and found that those taking calcium pills roughly doubled the risk of having a heart attack . There were 851 heart attacks among the 15,959 people who did not take any supplements at all. However, people taking calcium supplements were 86% more likely to have had a heart attack during the study.

Detailing their findings in the journal Heart, the team said heart attack risk “might be substantially increased by taking calcium supplements” .

The pills “should be taken with caution” , they concluded, as they raise the annual risk of a heart attack from about one in 700 people to one in 350.

However, it is “irresponsible” to advise people with osteoporosis not to take supplements “on the basis of this study”. Instead, I would say, people should eat more calcium rich foods like milk, cheese and green, leafy vegetables.

Enjoy your best health with natural calcium rich food.