I've read that calcium supplements may increase the risk of heart attacks. Is this true?

Answer From Rekha Mankad, M.D.

There is some evidence that calcium supplements can increase the risk of heart attacks. Calcium supplements are usually taken to treat or prevent bone disease, such as osteoporosis.

A review of studies found that calcium supplements increased the risk of heart disease, particularly in healthy, postmenopausal women. But other studies have said calcium supplements don't increase the risk.

More research is needed to know how calcium supplements affect a person's overall heart attack risk. What is known is that calcium from food sources, such as dairy products and leafy green vegetables, isn't a concern.

Taking calcium — with vitamin D — does provide a benefit for those who have too little calcium or bone loss. Ask your doctor if a calcium supplement is right for you.

With

Rekha Mankad, M.D.

From Mayo Clinic to your inbox

Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health. Click here for an email preview.

To provide you with the most relevant and helpful information, and understand which information is beneficial, we may combine your email and website usage information with other information we have about you. If you are a Mayo Clinic patient, this could include protected health information. If we combine this information with your protected health information, we will treat all of that information as protected health information and will only use or disclose that information as set forth in our notice of privacy practices. You may opt-out of email communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link in the e-mail.

March 23, 2023 See more Expert Answers

See also

  1. Abdominal pain
  2. Angina treatment: Stents, drugs, lifestyle changes — What's best?
  3. Anxiety disorders
  4. Blood tests for heart disease
  5. Can vitamins help prevent a heart attack?
  6. Cardiac catheterization
  7. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR): First aid
  8. Chelation therapy for heart disease: Does it work?
  9. Chest X-rays
  10. Coronary angiogram
  11. Coronary artery bypass surgery
  12. Coronary artery disease
  13. Coronary artery disease: Angioplasty or bypass surgery?
  14. What is coronary artery disease? A Mayo Clinic cardiologist explains.
  15. Coronary artery disease FAQs
  16. Daily aspirin therapy
  17. Dizziness
  18. Drug-eluting stents
  19. Echocardiogram
  20. Ejection fraction: What does it measure?
  21. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)
  22. Excessive sweating
  23. Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO)
  24. Fasting diet: Can it improve my heart health?
  25. Fatigue
  26. Flu Shot Prevents Heart Attack
  27. Flu shots and heart disease
  28. Four Steps to Heart Health
  29. Grass-fed beef
  30. Healthy Heart for Life!
  31. Heart and Blood Health
  32. Heart attack
  33. Heart attack
  34. Heart attack prevention: Should I avoid secondhand smoke?
  35. Heart attack symptoms
  36. Heart Attack Timing
  37. Heart disease
  38. Heart disease in women: Understand symptoms and risk factors
  39. Heart-healthy diet: 8 steps to prevent heart disease
  40. Heartburn or chest pain?
  41. Interval Training
  42. Menus for heart-healthy eating
  43. Nausea and vomiting
  44. Niacin to improve cholesterol numbers
  45. NSAIDs: Do they increase my risk of heart attack and stroke?
  46. Nuts and your heart: Eating nuts for heart health
  47. Omega-3 in fish
  48. Omega-6 fatty acids
  49. Polypill: Does it treat heart disease?
  50. Pseudoaneurysm: What causes it?
  51. Red wine, antioxidants and resveratrol
  52. Shortness of breath
  53. Silent heart attack
  54. Sleep disorders
  55. Heart disease prevention
  56. Stress test
  57. Symptom Checker
  58. Integrative approaches to treating pain
  59. Nutrition and pain
  60. Pain rehabilitation
  61. Self-care approaches to treating pain
  62. Video: Heart and circulatory system