Staying Healthy
Could high calcium intake damage my heart?
Ask the doctors
Q. Someone told me that taking a calcium supplement might be harmful to my heart. Is this true?
A. Some past research findings did seem to hint at a link between high calcium intake from supplements and an increased risk of heart attack or other heart-related problems. But this association remains controversial. More recent evidence from the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology has found no such relationship.
Some experts now believe that the connection seen between calcium supplements and heart disease may have been coincidental.
If you think you might need a calcium supplement, the best course of action is to discuss the potential pros and cons with your doctor. Whenever possible, you should try to get adequate calcium from your diet. Studies haven't found any link between high calcium intake from food and an elevated risk of heart disease.
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About the Authors
Toni Golen, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Women's Health Watch; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing; Contributor
Hope Ricciotti, MD, Editor at Large, Harvard Women's Health Watch
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