Calcium pills: Experts warn the bone-strengthening mineral could harm your heart

Doctors say calcium supplements taken by millions of Brits to improve bone health can cause heart damage in some people.

The warning comes when new research shows that older adults with common heart problems are one-third more likely to die from any cause if they take the pills.

These findings add to the growing evidence that excess calcium in the body can have a negative effect on the body.

Experts now advise against taking the pills with a dietitian who has no particular medical need, deems them dangerous, and has no apparent benefit.

The new research, published in the journal Heart, followed 2,650 patients with aortic stenosis, a potentially serious condition in which the aortic valve in the heart no longer opens fully, reducing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the body.

Calcium is an essential nutrient needed for healthy bones and teeth, and is also important for the regulation of muscle contractions, including heart rate, and normal blood clotting. Sources include dairy products, leafy green vegetables and some fish.

Calcium deficiency in children can lead to a condition called rickets, which affects bone development and increases the risk of painful fractures, which are the diseases of bone thinning, osteomalacia, and osteoporosis later in life.

To combat this, the NHS recommends that people over 65 take a combined calcium and vitamin D supplement to maintain bone health “if your diet is not as good as it should be”. Vitamin D is necessary to help the body absorb calcium properly.

However, in recent years, numerous studies have cast doubts on the safety of this advice.

In 2019, scientists from Tufts University in Massachusetts analyzed the medical records of 27,000 American adults and found a link between high doses of calcium and cancer.

And a review published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) in 2010 found significantly higher rates of heart attacks in people who took calcium, although it’s not clear why exactly these problems are observed.

The new research, published in the journal Heart, followed 2,650 patients with aortic stenosis, a potentially serious condition in which the aortic valve in the heart no longer opens fully, reducing the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the body.

Aortic stenosis is caused by a buildup of calcium in the valve flaps (thin tissue that opens and closes), which over time hardens them and compromises their ability to open and close.

It is estimated that around 400,000 people in the UK are life-threatening. The number of people affected increases with age and is the most common valvular heart disease in the elderly, affecting one in eight people over the age of 75.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in Ohio, who followed patients for five years, found that those with aortic stenosis given calcium with or without vitamin D were twice as likely to die from heart problems as those with aortic stenosis. provided he has not taken supplements

They were also 48% more likely to have surgery to replace the valve and 31% more likely to die from any cause.

“Adding this to other evidence, it’s pretty clear that calcium supplements are harmful for people with possible heart problems, and I’m not sure if they have any benefit,” said epidemiologist Professor Tim Spector of King’s College London.

“I think there is enough evidence to say that calcium is a dangerous supplement, it shouldn’t be taken and prescribed over the counter unless you have a severe calcium deficiency.”

National clinical guidelines for osteoporosis recommend a minimum of 700 mg of calcium daily, which can be obtained by consuming two small servings of hard cheese, such as cheddar, and a yogurt or glass of milk.

Many foods are fortified with calcium, including cereals and some breads. Fish that are eaten with a bone are also rich sources, such as sardines, sardines, and whitefish.

Supplements can contain up to 1200 mg per serving.

However, the evidence for the value of calcium intake for maintaining bones seems mixed.

A review published in the New Zealand BMJ in 2015 found that the evidence for calcium supplements to prevent fractures is weak and inconsistent.

Heart doctors told The Mail on Sunday that it is unclear from this new observational study whether calcium is directly responsible for the higher death rate in people with aortic stenosis, as patients who take supplements often have other health problems. can affect their overall health. .

However, Professor David Newby, head of cardiology at the British Heart Foundation Duke of Edinburgh at the University of Edinburgh, said it raises doubts that it should be used routinely by people for no apparent reason. “If you have osteoporosis and need to take supplements, you should. But if you take them because you think it’s a good idea and you don’t have a specific reason, then you can think about it for a while,” says Prof. newby

The vast majority of people who take vitamin supplements do not need them. “These data are a bit vague but somewhat flagged and we need more research on them,” he said.

Benoy Shah, cardiologist at Southampton General Hospital and president of the British Heart Valve Association, says people reached out to the organization to find out if they should continue taking calcium.

“For people who don’t have a medical indication for calcium and are taking it because they think they should, calcium may be associated with hardening of their heart valves and may want to discuss this with their doctor or consider it further,” he said. .