Newsletters

Summer 2011

Calcium Supplements in the News

It is remarkable that even the most basic aspects of nutrition can at times become controversial. Such is the case with calcium in recent months. If you have been paying attention to the news media, you have probably seen reports that calcium supplements may cause heart attacks. This is shocking to those of us who have been taking extra calcium, sometimes for many years, for bone health. What is the real story?

In kindergarten, or perhaps soon thereafter, you learned that too much of a good thing can be harmful. This applies to activities such as eating ice cream, exercising, and dieting. It may apply to calcium as well.

Without calcium in our bodies we could not survive. Most of our calcium is stored in bones. We lose calcium every day in urine, stool, and even sweat. It is necessary to replace at least this much every day. If we don’t, then calcium leaches out of our bones, which could eventually lead to osteoporosis and fractures. Therefore, getting enough calcium every day is a very good thing and essential to sustain life.

It is possible, however, that too much might cause trouble. Some research studies have shown that excess calcium taken in the form of supplements may increase the risk of “cardiovascular events,” meaning heart attacks, strokes, and sudden death. Other studies, conducted by equally good researchers, suggest that this does not happen. This is a typical situation of medical uncertainty. Despite the tremendous amount of media attention to the issue, the bottom line is this: We really don’t know whether calcium supplements cause heart attacks.

What is a person to do when the experts can’t agree? Common sense and moderation is probably the best approach. Here are some suggestions:

1. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends a daily calcium intake of about 1200 mg for all postmenopausal women and men age 50 years and older. This is good advice.

2. There is no proven benefit to getting more than 1200 mg of calcium per day.

3. The best source of calcium is food that is naturally high in calcium- dairy products, for example. The second best source is food that is fortified with calcium, as with calcium fortified orange juice. The third and final choice is a calcium supplement. Take calcium in this form only if you can’t get enough the first 2 ways.

4. There are exceptions to the above. If you have an intestinal problem that limits your ability to absorb calcium, for example, you may need more than the usual amount of calcium. If you have special concerns about your calcium needs, talk to your doctor.
 

E. Michael Lewiecki, MD                                    
Lance A. Rudolph, MD

This page update 07/25/11