DHAKA: Calcium supplements may increase the risk of having a
heart attack by two-fold and should be ‘taken with caution’,
researchers say. The findings also indicate that, increasing an
overall calcium intake from dietary sources confers no
significant advantage in terms of staving off heart disease and
stroke. Previous research has linked higher calcium intake with
a decreased risk of high blood pressure, obesity, and type 2
diabetes, all of which are risk factors for heart disease and
stroke. Calcium supplements are commonly recommended to older
people and women who have gone through the menopause to prevent
bone thinning. The authors base their results on almost 24,000
participants of one of the German arms of the European
Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study
in Heidelberg. All the participants aged between 35 and 64 when
they joined the study in 1994-8. Normal diet for the preceding
12 months was assessed using food frequency questionnaires and
they were enquired about whether