Calcium supplements ‘may cause damage to the heart’

A new study has demonstrated the potential heart health impact of routinely taking calcium supplements as a means of reducing osteoporosis risk.

The Johns Hopkins Medicine research analysed ten years of medical data from a cohort of 2,742 people, finding that taking calcium in the form of supplements – rather than through a calcium-rich diet – may raise the risk of plaque buildup in arteries, as well as heart damage.

Supplement users were shown to have a 22 percent higher likelihood of having their coronary artery calcium scores rise higher than zero over the course of a decade, which is a sign of developing heart disease.

By contrast, those with the highest dietary intake of calcium saw no increase in relative risk of developing heart disease, with calcium-rich diets potentially even being healthy for the heart.

This suggests that aspects of the composition or quantity of calcium found in supplements make them harder for the body to process healthily.

Dr Erin Michos, associate professor of medicine at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said: "Our study adds to the body of evidence that excess calcium in the form of supplements may harm the heart and vascular system."

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