In a surprising study, researchers have discovered that Calcium supplementation in elderly women may actually increase the risk of heart attack and related vascular disease such as stroke, sudden death, angina and "other chest pain".
The study was initiated in order to see what effect Calcium supplementation really has on improving bone density. The researchers, Dr Mark J Bolland (University of Auckland, New Zealand) and colleagues, expected findings that have previously been published - heart attack prevention. Instead, they found "robust" information indicating that Calcium supplements might increase a woman's chance of heart attack.
There's no way to make absolute sense of the study just yet however, and women are advised to continue Calcium supplements unless medically advised to do otherwise. More studies are recommended to refine and clarify this information.
Issues regarding this study include the following:
The study remains unequivocal, though carefully studied, according to experts.
Initial Vitamin D serum levels were not measured - a factor that may play a role in the current study outcomes.
Vitamin D, combined with Calcium for supplementation was not studied.
The women included in this study were "quite old" compared to previous studies which included women in their 50's. Previous studies have been done in the UK and Australia in the younger age group.
According to senior author, Dr Ian R Reid (University of Auckland, New Zealand, 1Gm of very soluble Calcium was used in the study, "and our study is a bit longer than some of the others, so that may also explain why we've got a more powerful effect."
The combination of high dose calcium with rapid entry into the blood stream(solubility) may contribute to calcium formation in the artery walls, leading to the results of increased vascular disease seen with this particular study.
Here is the information women can take from this study:
High doses of Calcium supplements may lead to increased risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women. We should anticipate and monitor future studies.
Improvement in bone density was evident with Calcium supplementation of 1Gm/day, but caution should be exercised if you have a history of cardiovascular disease, but you should speak with your doctor first.
Women in New Zealand are presently being advised not to use Calcium supplements if they are elderly and have heart disease.
Lower doses on Calcium (500mg) do not show benefits for bone loss but it is a safer approach if you do take Calcium for other benefits (blood pressure and cholesterol).
If you already have osteoporosis, do not rely on Calcium supplements for treatment.
No one has jumped on the bandwagon to say that Calcium supplements should be completely disregarded, but these findings are noteworthy.
Dr Erin D Michos (Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD), who was not involved with this new study expresses his opinion to Heartwire: "This is a thought-provoking study, although not definitive, but further work should be done." Dr. Michos co-wrote articles regarding Vitamin D and Calcium supplements last year for the Women's Health Initiative (WHI).
This sort of research emphasizes to me how important it is for women to maintain awareness. It's only through education that we can make informed decisions about our own health management.
It's also a good time to again emphasize the necessity of exercise for bone loss and cardiovascular disease prevention. We have many options to protect our own health without relying on supplements and medications that may cause deleterious effects and expense.
There has been a huge initiative from the healthcare sector toward emphasizing the value of exercise and nutrition. So many health problems are related to inactivity and poor dietary choices. It seems so simple, but it's a problem that seems to defy solution when you look the obesity "epidemic" and statistics related to diabetes and heart disease.
I feel certain that each and every practicing physician would welcome the opportunity to successfully drive this message to their patients.
Ref: BMJ January 15, 2008
Why Should I be Physically Active? ◦
This is why people should not just resort to calcium supplements right away without looking into it.
ReplyDeleteThere is other ways to get sufficient amounts of calcium and other bone building nutrients without supplementation. There are many house hold foods which are rich in calcium and just adding them to your regular diet is easy enough to do. I use a tool on the internet that tells me the level of these important nutrients that I am getting from my diet.
It is a cool tool and I use it often. The site does promote and sell a calcium supplement that I do not use, but I will continue to use thier software aslong as it is available.The Bone Health Calculator is free and easy to use and I would suggest it to anybody.
Thank you for the tool, and your comment. I've looked at this, and it is excellent. Regards, Kathleen
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