The role of calcium in the prevention of cardiovascular disease--a review of observational studies and randomized clinical trials.
Study Goal
The researchers aimed to evaluate the role of calcium intake, from diet or supplements, and blood concentrations in relation to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in adults.
Results Summary
The study found inconsistent evidence linking calcium intake to CVD risk, with no definitive conclusion on its preventive effects. Existing trials suggest calcium supplementation has no significant impact on CVD development, but results are inconclusive.
Population
Middle-aged and older adults, primarily postmenopausal women in clinical trials.
Effective Dosage
Not specified
Duration
Not specified
Interactions
None mentioned
| Intervention | Direction | Endpoint | Population | Dosage | Impact | Claim # |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
calcium intake | neutral | CVD development | - | - | may be involved in | #1 |
calcium | neutral | blood cholesterol | - | - | may be involved in | #2 |
calcium | neutral | insulin secretion and sensitivity | - | - | may be involved in | #3 |
calcium | neutral | vasodilation | - | - | may be involved in | #4 |
calcium | neutral | inflammatory profile | - | - | may be involved in | #5 |
calcium | neutral | thrombosis | - | - | may be involved in | #6 |
calcium | neutral | obesity | - | - | may be involved in | #7 |
calcium | neutral | vascular calcification | - | - | may be involved in | #8 |
dietary or supplemental calcium intake | neutral | CVD incidence or mortality | middle-aged and older adults | - | is associated with | #9 |
blood concentrations of calcium | neutral | calcium phosphate balance | - | - | may reflect a disturbed calcium phosphate balance | #10 |
disturbed calcium phosphate balance | increase | CVD | - | - | is associated with increased risk of | #11 |
calcium supplementation | no change | CVD development | postmenopausal women | - | has no effect on | #12 |
Calcium is a mineral that is important for bone health and has also been suggested to play a role in the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Lately, the potential effects of both inadequate and excessive calcium intake have received growing attention. In this review, we summarize the evidence from experimental, epidemiologic, and clinical studies investigating the role of calcium intake, either from the diet or from supplements, as well as blood concentrations, in relation to the risk of CVD in adults. In vitro and in vivo laboratory studies suggest that calcium may be involved in CVD development through multiple pathways, including blood cholesterol, insulin secretion and sensitivity, vasodilation, inflammatory profile, thrombosis, obesity, and vascular calcification. Several prospective epidemiologic studies have examined how dietary or supplemental calcium intake is associated with CVD incidence or mortality in middle-aged and older adults, and the results are inconsistent. Prospective studies investigating blood concentrations of calcium have also reported mixed results. However, changes in blood calcium concentrations may reflect a disturbed calcium phosphate balance, which is associated with increased risk of CVD. To date there is no randomized clinical trial that has been designed specifically to test the effect of calcium supplementation on the risk of CVD as the primary end point. Existing trials have performed secondary analyses, and most of them have been conducted among postmenopausal women. These trials suggest that calcium supplementation has no effect on CVD development; however, they do not allow a definitive conclusion to be drawn. The average daily intake of calcium is low in many populations; however, the evidence for a potential role of dietary or supplemental calcium in the prevention of CVD remains insufficient and inconclusive. Only large-scale randomized trials designed to investigate the effects of calcium supplementation on CVD events as the primary end point, as well as short-term trials investigating the effect on coronary biomarkers, can provide a definitive answer.