Journal Facts

Journal
BoneKEy Reports
ISSN
2047-6396
Volume
2
Year
2013

Article Facts

Title
Calcium supplements increase CVD death risk in men but not women
DOI
10.1038/bonekey.2013.173
Author
Online Date
09/18/2013

Article Links

BoneKEy Reports | BoneKEy Watch

Calcium supplements increase CVD death risk in men but not women


DOI:10.1038/bonekey.2013.173

Data from 388 229 participants taking part in the AARP Diet and Health Study conducted by the US National Institutes of Health were analyzed to look at the relationship between calcium intake and cardiovascular disease (CVD) mortality.

Neither men nor women who obtained their calcium from their diet had any increased risk of a CVD-related death. Men who took calcium supplements had a higher risk of dying from a CVD event, with a relative risk (RR) of 1.2 (95% CI 1.05–1.36). Further analysis showed that this was mainly due to an increase in the risk of dying from heart disease (RR 1.19, CI 1.03–1.37), rather than from a stroke (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.81–1.61). In contrast, women taking calcium supplements showed no increased risk of dying from a CVD event, or from a heart disease-related event or from a stroke.

Editor’s comment: Is the calcium bottle half full or half empty? Calcium supplements greater than 1000 mg per day, but not dietary calcium, were associated with a 20% increased risk of CV death in men, with an increase of up to 50% in men aged younger than 60 years. This trend was not observed in women, despite their mean supplemental calcium dose being nearly twice as high. Although this study has several severe limitations (no information about vitamin D supplement intake), it should still reassure women taking calcium supplements, particularly those with CVD risk factors.

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