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New research suggests that millions of people around the world who take calcium supplements in the hope of "strengthening their bones" may actually be increasing their risk of getting a heart attack.
Dr Ian Reid and his colleagues from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, combined the results from 11 randomized controlled trials of calcium supplements (without vitamin D), involving over 12,000 patients. The results of their findings were reported to the British Medical Journal. Dr Reid's team found that there was a 31% increase in the risk of heart attack and a small, non-significant increase in the risk of stroke and death.
Their findings were found to be consistent across trials, and the risk of myocardial infarction (heart attacks) was independent of age, sex and type of supplement. The risk was also found to be highest in people who took calcium supplements on top of high levels of dietary calcium.
Further more, many studies have also suggested that calcium supplements which are often taken in an effort to stave off osteoporosis, may not be effective in doing so.
Experts are not fully convinced that calcium supplements do indeed increase the risk of myocardial infarction. However, given the uncertain benefits of calcium supplements in reducing bone fractures, "any level of heart attack risk is unwarranted".
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