Latest Trustworthy News from Dr. Mercola - delivered straight to your inbox!
20% Off Sitewide Surprise Sale 20% Off Sitewide Surprise Sale

Calcium Supplements May Increase Risks of Heart Damage

  • October 14, 2016

Taking calcium supplements could increase the risk of heart diseases including coronary artery calcification, according to a study reported by Tech Times.

This really isn’t news in that I began warning people about the possibility of calcium supplements increasing your risk of heart disease or stroke over five years ago. In fact, an analysis in 2011 found that there is a 30 percent increased risk of myocardial infarction for those taking 500 mg or more of elemental calcium!

There are actually a number of studies indicating that mass market calcium supplements increase your risk for cardiovascular incidents and other problems, while offering little benefit to your bones: Eating what amounts to chalk or pulverized bone meal, chemicals like the drugs Fosamax and Evista, does not mean this will translate into improved health for your bones, or any of your other organ systems.

But, just because studies are showing that some calcium supplements may not be good for you, doesn’t mean you don’t need calcium in your body. The truth is food not only is the best source of calcium for you, but might even lengthen your life if you get calcium-rich foods in the right form. Good sources include raw milk and cheese from pasture-raised cows, leafy green vegetables, the pith of citrus fruits, carob, sesame seeds and wheatgrass.

You also need sources of silica and magnesium, such as cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes and raw cacao, which some researchers say are actually enzymatically "transmuted" by your body into the kind of calcium your bones can use.