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Calcium Supplements Do not Cause Heart Diseases in Women: Study

Calcium Supplements Do not Cause Heart Diseases in Women
(Photo : Flickr) Calcium Supplements Do not Cause Heart Diseases in Women

Intake of calcium supplements is not linked with the risk of heart diseases in women, according to a new study.

Oral calcium tablets are prescribed to prevent bone loss, weakness, muscle diseases and decreased activity of parathyroid gland in people suffering from calcium deficiency. Previous studies suggest calcium supplementation leads to plaque build-up in the arteries leading to heart attacks, strokes and other diseases. But the risk factors for these conditions were common only in women. In a recent research by the Birmingham Women's Hospital found calcium supplements do not lead to the cardiovascular diseases in women.

Experts used data of 74,245 women from the Nurses' Health Study to note the association between supplemental calcium and heart problems. The participants were followed for almost 24 years and their average use of the mineral supplement was assessed once in every four years. The study also considered variables like age, BMI, level of intake of dietary calcium, vitamin D capsules and other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases.  

A total of 2,709 heart attacks and 1,856 cases of strokes were recorded during the entire study period. 

It was observed that women who were prescribed to take calcium supplements followed a healthy lifestyle, indulged in regular physical activity and controlled their unhealthy eating habits than those who didn't take the supplements. Hence, their chances of developing heart diseases and dying from stroke were very low.

"Our study has several distinct strengths compared to prior studies including the large number of participants, long-term follow-up, large number of cardiovascular events that were confirmed by medical record review, detailed information about diet and other cardiovascular disease risk factors, and repeated assessment of calcium supplement use over the 24-year follow-up period," said Julie Paik, study author and researcher at the Department of Medicine in the BWH, in a news release.

The authors believe these findings help them to investigate further on the possible damages to heart health caused by the use of calcium supplements to curb the incidence of heart diseases.

More information is available online in the journal Osteoporosis International.

May 12, 2014 08:31 AM EDT By

MD News Daily

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