People who take calcium pills are up to 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack. This is according to research published in the scientific journal British Medical Journal .
About 12,000 elderly people were examined for the five-year study. Half of the group received calcium supplements , the other half placebos (pills without effect). In the group that took the calcium pills, per 1,000 subjects, 14 more people had a heart attack than in the placebo group.
The researchers advise people taking calcium pills to seek advice from their doctor and eat foods naturally rich in calcium. Exercise, quitting smoking and a healthy weight are also better ways to prevent osteoporosis, they say.
Strong bones?
Calcium is also known as essential for strong bones, but the research showed that taking calcium pills hardly reduces the risk of bone fractures †
