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http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/expert-answers/calcium-supplements/faq-20058352 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-a

http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/expert-answers/calcium-supplements/faq-20058352 http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/e... Some doctors think it's possible that taking calcium supplements may increase your risk of a heart attack. Other doctors believe that calcium supplements have little or no effect on your heart attack risk. Many people take calcium supplements to treat or prevent bone disease, such as osteoporosis. It's thought that the calcium in these supplements could make its way into fatty plaques in your arteries — a condition called atherosclerosis — causing those plaques to harden and increase your risk of heart disease. A 2013 study from the National Institutes of Health suggests there is an increased risk of heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular diseases from taking calcium supplements for men only. Other studies suggest there is an increased risk for both men and women. More research is needed before doctors know the effect calcium supplements may have on your heart attack risk. The calcium supplements that some doctors are concerned about are generally those that contain only calcium. However, more research is also needed to determine the effects of supplements combining calcium and vitamin D. Calcium from food sources, such as dairy and green leafy vegetables, is not a concern. Current recommendations for getting enough calcium for people who have, or have risk factors for, osteoporosis haven't changed. As with any health issue, it's important to talk to your doctor to determine what's most appropriate in your case.

coldtea 9y ago
>Some doctors think it's possible that taking calcium supplements may increase your risk of a heart attack. Other doctors believe that calcium supplements have little or no effect on your heart attack risk. Shouldn't it be what the medical science says on the matter, and individual doctors having no say in this?
- sp332 9y ago
  Medical science has to be interpreted by doctors. If the science isn't convincing most doctors in one direction or the other, more research is needed.
- athenot 9y ago
  Think of the human body as a system of many tightly coupled functions. Tinkering with one function can have effects on 4 other seemingly unrelated ones. That's why generalizations don't work very well when they are shorter than a full-blown study paper. You primary care doc should have a much better context about your health, your existing conditions, the particular risks that you have... all which may require a different recommendation from "the average". If you have always been healthy and don't have have a primary care physician (generalist), go find one with whom you're comfortable (look for good communication and someone who suits your personality/expectations) and establish a history. It will feel like you're throwing away a few hundred dollars but with time this will come in handy. The one I have now is happy to help me, an engineer, understand the underlying concepts of my care, without wasting time dumbing things down too much—I can grok logic and tradeoffs, I'm just not clinically trained.
stevehawk 9y ago
when things affect men and not women I'm always curious to know if there's a menopause correlation. Women are less likely to have heart issues than men... until menopause. I feel like when I first read that that science said it was a reason for men to donate blood more regularly. Now my google-fu is saying there may be an estrogen based reason. #scienceishard

coldtea 9y ago

>Some doctors think it's possible that taking calcium supplements may increase your risk of a heart attack. Other doctors believe that calcium supplements have little or no effect on your heart attack risk. Shouldn't it be what the medical science says on the matter, and individual doctors having no say in this?

sp332 9y ago
Medical science has to be interpreted by doctors. If the science isn't convincing most doctors in one direction or the other, more research is needed.
athenot 9y ago
Think of the human body as a system of many tightly coupled functions. Tinkering with one function can have effects on 4 other seemingly unrelated ones. That's why generalizations don't work very well when they are shorter than a full-blown study paper. You primary care doc should have a much better context about your health, your existing conditions, the particular risks that you have... all which may require a different recommendation from "the average". If you have always been healthy and don't have have a primary care physician (generalist), go find one with whom you're comfortable (look for good communication and someone who suits your personality/expectations) and establish a history. It will feel like you're throwing away a few hundred dollars but with time this will come in handy. The one I have now is happy to help me, an engineer, understand the underlying concepts of my care, without wasting time dumbing things down too much—I can grok logic and tradeoffs, I'm just not clinically trained.

stevehawk 9y ago

when things affect men and not women I'm always curious to know if there's a menopause correlation. Women are less likely to have heart issues than men... until menopause. I feel like when I first read that that science said it was a reason for men to donate blood more regularly. Now my google-fu is saying there may be an estrogen based reason. #scienceishard