Is Taking Calcium Supplements a Risk?
In a study published in the British Medical Journal, researchers carried out a meta-analysis of eleven different studies involving 12,000 people – looking at calcium and heart disease risk. They found that men and women who took calcium supplements had a thirty percent higher incidence of heart disease and heart attack. This held true only for people taking calcium in supplement form, not those who got their calcium through dietary sources. Why Would Taking Calcium Increase the Risk of Heart Disease? When a person takes in too much calcium, it may be deposited in arteries and vessels that supply blood to the heart. When this calcium combines with cholesterol, atherosclerosis or hard plaques can form in the arteries. If conditions are right, these plaques can rupture, which can lead to a heart attack or stroke. Not a good situation for the person unfortunate enough to experience it. Should You Take Calcium Supplements? This meta-analysis isn’t the final word on the issue of calcium and
