Risks of taking calcium supplements

ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – According to the NIH, about 43 percent of Americans take a supplement that includes calcium. Calcium is an important mineral for maintaining strong bones. But if you plan to take a calcium supplementyou need to be aware of some risks.

You may have heard that calcium supplements are a good way to improve your health. But research shows that may not be the case. A large Johns Hopkins study found that taking calcium supplements can have a negative effect on heart health.

Erin Michos, MD, preventive cardiologist at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, explains, “Just taking calcium supplements was independently associated with this increased risk of developing atherosclerosis.

Calcium supplements also cause side effects such as bloating, constipation, and kidney stones. A study published in the Journal Neurology also found that women who took calcium supplements had a higher risk of develop dementia. And – Dr. Michos says the largest research to date shows inconclusive results on the benefits of taking calcium supplements to build strong bones.

“For people who are already meeting their recommended daily allowance, there is no evidence that more is better, even for bone health or fracture reduction.” Said Doctor Michos.

But dietary sources of calcium do not pose the same risks.

Dr. Michos says, “I recommend to my patients that the safest thing to do is try to get their calcium through their diet. We believe the body processes calcium very differently when it comes from dietary sources than from supplements.

Foods like milk, yogurt and almonds are rich in calcium. The recommended dietary intake of calcium for most adults is 1,000 milligrams per day. For women 51 and older and men 71 and older, it’s 1,200 milligrams.

If you have a calcium deficiency, ask your doctor if taking calcium supplements might be beneficial.

Contributors to this report include: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5085079/, Producer; Roque Correa, editor.

Copyright 2023 KPLC. All rights reserved.