To Supplement or Not?

Calcium supplements are coming under scrutiny due to concerns that they might increase the risk of heart attacks. Recently, the results of a meta-analysis suggested that patients over 40 who take 500 mg/day or more of calcium have an increased risk of heart attack. Although this theory is plausible, let’s not toss our Caltrate into the trash just yet. It’s true that too much calcium might lead to vascular calcification and atherosclerosis. However, this study only looked at people taking calcium supplements alone. It did not address the role of dietary calcium or taking vitamin D and other absorptive cofactors like vitamin K and magnesium along with calcium. When calcium occurs naturally in food, these other vitamins are normally in the food too. Mother Nature is pretty smart that way!

There are other factors to consider as well, like dietary sources of calcium. When evaluating calcium intake, consider your TOTAL calcium intake from supplements plus foods. For example, the RDA for most adults falls between 1,000 and 1,200 mg per day. So, if you get 300 mg in your morning Cheerios with milk, 300 from your calcium fortified OJ, and 200 mg from your multivitamin, then you only need to take an additional 200-400 mg per day.

Supplements are a great way to help us fill in the gaps where our diets fall short, but they must be taken wisely. As with most vitamin supplements, calcium supplements are a smart idea for those who do not meet their requirements through diet alone.