| Calcium pills 'double heart attack risk'
By Stephen Adams Calcium supplements taken by millions people every day can
double the risk of heart attacks, according to a study, while researchers say
they do little to protect bones against fractures. Despite the link to heart
problems, calcium pills are important for those at risk of osteoperosis.
Recommended by government advisors as a safe way to help fight osteoporosis,
they are taken by up to 5m people in Britain. But researchers say a new study
adds to mounting evidence that the supplements are "not safe or particularly
effective". The latest study, which followed 24,000 middle-aged and elderly
Germans for 11 years, found taking calcium pills roughly doubled the risk of
having a heart attack. Writing today in the journal Heart, German and Swiss
academics find that heart attack risk "might be substantially increased by
taking calcium supplements". They conclude the pills "should be taken with
caution" because they raise the annual risk of a heart attack from about one in
700 people to one in 350. The scientists' findings are at odds with Department
of Health advice, published on the NHS Choices website, that "taking 1,500mg or
less of calcium supplements is unlikely to cause any harm". It only warns:
"Taking high doses of calcium could lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea." The
National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) also recommends
them for women who need treatment for osteoporosis, unless they already get
enough calcium from their diet. Calcium is essential for healthy bones and
adults need about 700mg a day. Clinicians agree it is best to get it through
food but some people find this difficult. Taking it in pill form has become
very popular - either alone, in combination with magnesium or vitamin D, or as
part of a multi-vitamin. Pills often contain 500mg calcium or more. According
to Mintel, the market research firm, 11 per cent of British adults - equivalent
to 5m people - took calcium supplements in the last year. However, commenting
on the new research by the University of Zurich and the German Cancer Reserch
Centre in Heidelberg, published in Heart, two leading researchers warn: "The
safety of calcium supplements is now coming under considerable scrutiny." They
say there is strong evidence that taking pill calcium floods the blood with the
mineral, leading to hardening of the arteries and raising heart attack risk. Dr
Mark Bolland and Professor Ian Reid of Auckland University in New Zealand say
today's study "reinforce the conclusions" of previous research. A 2010 BMJ
review covering 12,000 people found supplements raised the risk by a third,
they say, while a 2011 study of 28,000 people found they increased heart
attacks by more than a quarter. A recent Australian study was even more
"sobering", according to pair. That report, published earlier this year, found
"elderly and frail" people who took 600mg daily pills were 76 per cent more
likely to die from cardiovascular disease over three years than those not on
them. "The evidence is steadily mounting for a real cardiovascular adverse
effect from the use of calcium supplements," they write. Evidence also
suggested that "the anti-fracture effects of calcium [supplements] are modest".
They conclude: "The consistent evidence is that calcium supplements do more
harm than good and that other interventions are preferable for reducing the
risk of osteoporosis fractures... "It is now becoming clear that taking this
micronutrient in one or two daily boluses [pills] is not natural, in that it
does not reproduce the same metabolic effcts as calcium in food. "The evidence
is also becoming steadily stronger that it is not safe, nor is it particularly
effective." Dr Claire Bowring of the National Osteoporosis Society said "care"
was needed with calcium supplements. "If you get all of the calcium that you
need from your diet then a supplement will not be necessary," she said.
"Supplementation may be warranted if you are unable to get enough calcium in
your diet, but it needs to be done with consideration. "If you have a heart
condition or if you feel you may be at risk of a heart attack it is important
to talk to your GP." Dr Carrie Ruxton, of the Health Supplements Information
Service, said it was "irresponsible" to advise women with osteoporosis not to
take supplements "on the basis of one flawed study". It lacked information on
calcium doses and results could have been skewed by differences between
participants underlying health, she claimed. She said: "Osteoporosis is a real
issue for women and it is irresponsible for scientists to advise that women cut
out calcium supplements on the basis of one flawed survey, particularly when
the link between calcium, vitamin D and /bone health is endorsed by the
European Food Safety Authority." *MORE people now understand the need to get a
few minutes' of direct sunlight exposure to help build strong bones, according
to the National Osteoporosis Society. It found a third now know the importance
of getting a few minutes daily sun exposure without sunscreen, to help the body
manufacture enough vitamin D, which is essential for healthy bones. Three years
ago only six per cent understood the importance of daily direct sunlight,
according to spokesman Siobhan Hallmark. The charity launches its annual
Sunlight Campaign today. It advises people to get 10 minutes of direct sun
exposure on bare skin, once or twice a day, between May and September. A
Department of Health spokesperson said: "We will consider the study carefully
once the complete article has been published. "The majority of people do not
need to take a calcium supplement. A healthy balanced diet will provide all
the nutrients, including calcium, that they need. Good sources of calcium
include milk and dairy foods, fortified dairy food alternatives, e.g. soya
drink and green leafy vegetables." |
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Fw: Calcium pills 'double heart attack risk'
'Saibaba SV' via Thatha_Patty Sun, 30 Aug 2015 06:45:06 -0700
