Calcium supplements and heart disease

[KathrynK]

A new study came out this week that those who take calcium supplements were much more likely to have coronary arteries with signs of heart disease. There was a 22 percent increased likelihood of having higher coronary artery calcium scores, indicating development of heart disease. People with high calcium diets didn't have this increased risk. Given the reduced absorption of food, I doubt I could get to a high enough dose of calcium from food, since my daily yogurt doesn't put me in the high calcium diet.

What concerns me is that I've been told to increase the dose of my calcium supplements (1600 mg/d) after breaking my leg. But calcium supplements increased the risk of heart disease in this study and others. I am a lot less frightened of fractures than heart disease, the leading killer of women. One author said this: "There is clearly something different in how the body uses and responds to supplements versus intake through diet that makes it riskier," says Anderson. "It could be that supplements contain calcium salts, or it could be from taking a large dose all at once that the body is unable to process."

I have been dividing my dose in two doses, morning and night (800 mg each) but this makes me think I should be taking it in even more divided doses (400 mg) 4 times per day or even lower doses 6 times per day. Thoughts?

 

[Larra]

Some people use vitamin pills and mineral supplements to compensate for a diet low in these components - or to put in another way, either they eat poorly or they are unnecessarily concerned about perceived nutritional deficiencies. For someone with normal absorption, a healthy, balanced diet with natural foods that contain all the necessary vitamins and minerals is certainly the best way to go.
But we are not normal. We don't absorb calcium properly, among other things. If we fail to supplement aggressively, we will be deficient in calcium and our bones and teeth will pay the price. There is no way that we can get enough calcium through food to make up for the limited capacity we have for calcium absorption. For this reason, while I'm not knocking this study, I don't think the findings and conclusions apply to us.
I do agree that breaking up our calcium in multiple smaller doses is good, not just because of this study but because we can only absorb so much at once. There is no point in taking a huge amount all at once and not absorbing it. So we take a lot of calcium, but a significant proportion of it (please don't ask how much, I can't quantify it) isn't absorbed even with multiple doses, and the stuff that isn't absorbed can't damage your coronary arteries.

 

[Razbry]

Vit K2...is suppose to take the calcium out of your arteries. Check it out.

 

[southernlady]

The problem with studies like this is they use normies. We are a subgroup no one considers testing when doing things like this. IF we absorbed at the same rate as normies, maybe I would worry. But I worry more about my bones than my heart. Esp since I already have osteoporosis.

 

[aaa]

I saw this study and agree with @southernlady.

I take way more calcium than you, @KathrynK, but it's divided into 5 daily doses. So it couldn't hurt if you want to divide your calcium up more.