Millions of Russians take calcium supplements to strengthen bones. But could they pose a particular risk to the cardiovascular system?
The popularity of calcium tablets is constantly growing as scientists and doctors bombard us with reports that this mineral is extremely important for bone health. And in older people, bone mineral density is weakening, which is why they need to protect themselves from falls and fractures with the help of these supplements. And now a new study has shown that older people with one of the most common heart problems are one-third more likely to die prematurely for any reason if they take these nutritional supplements.
We are talking about aortic stenosis, which is an accumulation of calcium on the petals of the heart valve – a thin tissue that opens and closes these valves. The more calcium accumulates there, the less mobile the petal becomes, and this disrupts the process of full filling of the heart with blood and waste of this blood throughout the body. Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic followed approximately 2,650 people with aortic stenosis. They found that taking calcium with or without vitamin D nearly doubled the risk of death from heart disease compared to those who did not take calcium.
In addition, these patients were 48% more likely to require valve replacement surgery and 31% more likely to die from any cause. In recent years, a number of studies have questioned the safety of recommendations for calcium supplementation. In 2019, scientists at Tufts University in Massachusetts, based on an analysis of the medical records of more than 27,000 Americans, found a link between high doses of calcium and cancer. (READ MORE) 
Tufts University
Medicine
private research university in USA. Located in the cities of Medford and Somerville (Greater Boston), Massachusetts