Monday June 2, 2014 (foodconsumer.org) -- Some reports claim that calcium supplement use may increase risk of cardiovascular disease.  A new study of 74,245 women in the Nurses' Health Survey who were followed for 24 years shows that supplemental calcium did not increase the risk of cardiovascular disease including coronary heart disease and stroke.

The participants in the study were free of coronary heart disease and cancer at baseline.  Calcium supplement intake was assessed every four years.  Outcomes monitored were incident coronary heart disease (nonfatal or fatal myocardial infarction) and stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic).

After adjustment for age, body mass index, dietary calcium, vitamin D intake and other risk factors, women taking greater than 1,000 mg of calcium supplements per day were actually 18% less likely to develop cardiovascular disease, compared with those taking no calcium.

For those taking greater than 1,000 mg of calcium supplements per day, the reduction in risk of coronary heart disease was 26%, but there was no apparent reduction in risk of stroke.

The study concluded "Our findings do not support the hypothesis that calcium supplement intake increases CVD (cardiovascular disease) risk in women."  (David Liu, PHD)

Reference

Paik JM, Curhan GC, Sun Q, Rexrode KM, Manson JE, Rimm EB, Taylor EN.  Calcium supplement intake and risk of cardiovascular disease in women.  Osteoporos Int. 2014 May 7.