Stop taking calcium tablets every day! Wrong calcium supplementation is secretly causing "stones" to grow in your blood vessels

Many people feel that they are getting older, so they take calcium tablets every day to prevent osteoporosis-induced fractures. However, does your calcium supplement really replenish your bones? In fact, incorrect calcium supplementation not only fails to enhance bone health, but may quietly damage your blood vessels and even increase the risk of heart disease →

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Excessive calcium supplementation may cause heart problems

Many studies have confirmed that excessive calcium supplementation can accelerate the formation of vascular plaques and even lead to vascular calcification, increasing the risk of heart disease.

The 2016 MESA study followed nearly 3,000 subjects for 10 years and found that long-term use of additional calcium supplements can cause calcification of blood vessels, especially coronary arteries, thereby increasing the risk of heart disease.

The latest research in 2024 has once again confirmed this. Supplementing with 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate per day will increase the mortality rate from heart disease by 6% , and the risk of death is even higher in postmenopausal women.

Moreover, the higher the calcium intake , the greater the risk. Compared with people who consume 600-1000 mg of calcium per day, when the calcium intake is 1400 mg, the risk of all-cause mortality increases by 40%, the risk of death from cardiovascular disease increases by 49%, and the risk of ischemic heart disease increases by 114%!

The researchers explained that excessive calcium supplementation can lead to vascular calcification, accelerate vascular hardening and plaque accumulation, restrict blood flow, and increase the risk of death from heart attack. Although calcium supplementation can reduce cancer mortality, if calcium is supplemented in large quantities in the short term, calcium may be deposited in the blood vessels, leading to vascular calcification and increasing the risk of death from heart disease.

Calcium supplementation through food is safe and effective

Since calcium supplementation has risks, what should we do about osteoporosis? In fact, the 2016 MESA study has given us a solution: calcium from food is good for the heart, can reduce the risk of vascular calcification, and can also make calcium better retained in bones. Therefore, dietary calcium supplementation is a safer choice.

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1. Cruciferous vegetables

Cruciferous vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins, high in potassium and low in sodium, which helps control blood pressure and maintain cardiovascular health. Australian research has found that elderly women who eat more cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and cabbage can prevent extensive calcification of the abdominal aorta. This is because the large amount of vitamin K contained in cruciferous vegetables helps prevent vascular calcification. The cruciferous family is large, including many common vegetables such as Chinese cabbage, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, broccoli, rapeseed, kale, white radish, etc.

2. Cheese

Cheese is condensed milk with a high calcium content of about 799 mg/100 g, which is 7.8 times that of milk. Each person needs 800 mg of calcium per day, and eating 100 g of cheese a day can meet the need. However, many people are not used to eating cheese alone. Here I recommend an Italian cheese salad, which combines cheese with tomatoes, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, basil leaves, olive oil, crushed black pepper, salt, etc. It is nutritious and delicious. In summary, normal doses of calcium intake will not lead to vascular calcification, but excessive calcium supplementation is harmful. It is recommended that daily calcium intake be controlled below 1000 mg. It is important for the elderly to prevent fractures. The risk of osteoporosis and fractures caused by hypocalcemia is higher, and calcium should be supplemented reasonably through diet or according to doctor's advice.