A study released in the British Medical Journal suggested that people who take calcium supplements are at slightly higher risks of getting heart attacks. To some of us this is a familiar story and many are starting to grow weary of the contradictory information being thrown us over the decades. First they told us that Premarin (synthetic estrogen) decreases heart attacks, then they told us it increases it. They told us Vitamin E is great for the heart and then they say too much can increase risks of heart attacks. We were extolled the virtues of a low fat diet only to find certain kinds of fat are essential to the healthy functioning of the human body. So how do we find out whats true? By getting deeper into the science without preconceived notions or biases.
Let us examine the calcium study. We have been told for over a decade that taking calcium prevent osteoporosis and now we are told that it causes heart attacks! The study itself is a meta-analysis which means it is based on collecting and examining data from other studies. By nature meta-analysis studies are to be viewed with caution. This does not mean I doubt the end results, in fact I must say the results of the study did not surprise me. Nutrients taken in isolation without testing or clinical assessment are similar to playing Russian Roulette. What is good for one person is not for another.
In nature nutrients are never found in isolation but as a complex mixture of synergistic compounds that together exert beneficial effects on the body. Sure enough in this very same study they found that those who had higher dietary intake of calcium had no such side effects. In fact a study done in the United Kingdom showed that those who consumed more calcium in their diet had lower risks of dying from heart attacks . Two studies done in the United States showed that women who had the highest dietary intake of calcium had 30 to 40% less chance of dying from a stroke than those who had the lowest consumption of calcium in their diet! These are dramatic numbers.
Secondly calcium needs Vitamin D to be effectively utilized in the body. The study done only looked at those persons taking calcium without Vitamin D. Part of the Womens Health Initiative study looked at women using both calcium and Vitamin D and found that their risk of heart disease or stroke was no different from the general population.
Thirdly, remember the uniqueness of our own individual requirements. William Wolcott, uses a highly advanced form of testing called metabolic typing to understand each persons metabolic uniqueness to determine how their bodies will react to individual supplements. He points out that calcium increases the activity of a branch of our nervous system called the sympathetic nervous system. So someone who has an already dominant sympathetic nervous system may be further thrown into imbalance using supplemental calcium while another person who is ‘parasympathetic dominant’ may get more benefit. The trick is knowing what you are. This can be done by metabolic typing - something we will be doing in our clinic shortly.
And finally a word about magnesium. Magnesium is the physiological opposite of calcium. One common deficiency that is seen in today’s world is a deficiency of magnesium. For someone who is magnesium deficient adding calcium can make things worse.
To summarize:
(1) Find out more about what your body needs using specialized testing or metabolic typing.
(2) Do not use nutrients in isolation - balance them. Calcium for example would work better balanced with Vitamin D and magnesium. I do not however recommend trying to do this on your own. Work with a practitioner who is well versed in this.
(3) Try to get your nutritional requirements in your diet. A healthy, nutritious diet is rich in all the minerals including magnesium and calcium. Each person is unique and has his or her own individual perfect diet. Listen to your body as you make dietary changes and she will tell you what works best for you.
(3) If you are using calcium for osteopenia or osteoporosis, realize that there are many nutrients and lifestyle changes that contribute to strong bones. Read this article by Dr. Alan Gaby as a starter.
(4) View those health headlines with healthy scepticism. Keep an open and curious mind when you read the research.
