Calcium From Diet Vs. Supplements: Mineral Is Good For The Heart, But Not Necessarily From Pills
Much like Valentine’s Day gifts, the heart isn’t fond of store-bought calcium, suggests new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Researchers examined the heart health history of more than 1,500 adults enrolled in a long-term research project, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). The participants, all between the ages of 45 and 84, were free of any coronary artery calcification (CAC) — a risk factor for hardened arteries, or atherosclerosis — prior to the study’s start and had remained in touch with researchers for at least a decade afterwards. First, the researchers found that participants with higher levels of daily calcium intake were less likely to develop atherosclerosis by the 10-year mark. But when they dug deeper and looked solely at people who obtained most of their calcium from supplements as opposed to diet, they found the exact opposite effect.
Researchers examined the heart health history of more than 1,500 adults enrolled in a long-term research project, the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA). The participants, all between the ages of 45 and 84, were free of any coronary artery calcification (CAC) — a risk factor for hardened arteries, or atherosclerosis — prior to the study’s start and had remained in touch with researchers for at least a decade afterwards. First, the researchers found that participants with higher levels of daily calcium intake were less likely to develop atherosclerosis by the 10-year mark. But when they dug deeper and looked solely at people who obtained most of their calcium from supplements as opposed to diet, they found the exact opposite effect.