Calcium supplements have gained popularity for their potential to keep bones healthy. But recent research from Johns Hopkins Medicine has found that these supplements can lead to a build-up of plaque in your arteries and could cause heart damage. They conducted a 10-year study of more than 2,700 medical records and found that people who took calcium supplements were 22% more likely to develop heart disease symptoms within 10 years.
German researchers also found in 2012 that women who took calcium supplements doubled their risk of a heart attack. Additionally, a study earlier this year revealed that these supplements were linked to an increased risk of dementia for women with cerebrovascular disease.
Calcium supplements can be dangerous because not all the calcium ends up in your bones or urine — some accumulates within your body’s soft tissues like the heart. These calcium-based plaques can block blood flow and increase the risk of a heart attack. Reasons for this accumulation could be that your body is processing a large dose of calcium all at once; and that calcium supplements are made from calcium salts, which are harder to digest.
Johns Hopkins researchers found that people who consume the most calcium from food sources and supplements are 27% less likely to develop heart disease than those who get the least calcium. Some of the best calcium-rich foods to add to your daily diet include dairy products, dark leafy greens, white beans, bok choy, tofu, watercress, sardines, broccoli, oranges, almonds, okra, figs, and salmon.
It’s important to consume enough calcium each day– at least 1,000 mg for most adults and 1,200 mg for women over 51 and men over 71. It’s best if the calcium intake is divided into smaller 500mg doses throughout the day with meals.
You can also help prevent calcium from hardening your heart by consuming vitamin K2, which helps move calcium to bones and teeth, and remove calcium from arteries and soft tissues. It can be found in animal products and fermented food. Another option is EDTA chelation therapy, which was created in the 1930s to remove heavy metals. Though it is approved by the FDA for this purpose, chelation therapy has not been approved for use in treating cardiovascular disease.
