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Cardiovascular Impact of Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements: A Narrative Review.

Endocrinology and metabolism (Seoul, Korea)
February 1, 2023
Fatima Zarzour et al. (4 authors)
ReviewJournal ArticleHuman Study
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to evaluate the effectiveness and cardiovascular safety of calcium and vitamin D supplementation for fracture prevention in elderly populations.

Results Summary

The study found mixed results regarding the effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes, with most guidelines recommending up to 1,200 mg daily of calcium without concern for cardiovascular risk. There is compelling evidence that modest vitamin D supplementation is safe but does not confer cardiovascular benefit or harm.

Population

Elderly populations

Effective Dosage

Up to 1,200 mg daily of calcium

Duration

Not specified

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (5)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
calcium and vitamin D supplements
decrease
fracture
elderly populations
-
have been widely used for fracture prevention
#1
calcium and vitamin D supplementation
no change
cardiovascular outcomes
-
-
Inconsistent results have been reported concerning the effects
#2
calcium intake
no change
cardiovascular risk
-
-
recommend
#3
modest vitamin D supplementation
no change
cardiovascular benefit
-
-
does not confer cardiovascular benefit or cardiovascular harm
#4
modest vitamin D supplementation
no change
cardiovascular harm
-
-
does not confer cardiovascular benefit or cardiovascular harm
#5
Abstract

Calcium and vitamin D play an important role in mineral homeostasis and the maintenance of skeletal health. Calcium and vitamin D supplements have been widely used for fracture prevention in elderly populations. Many trials have studied the effectiveness and cardiovascular safety of calcium and vitamin D supplementation, with disparate results. In this review, we summarize the most important trials and systematic reviews. There is significant heterogeneity in clinical trial design, differences in the nature of trial outcomes (self-reported vs. verified), prior calcium intake, and trial size. Inconsistent results have been reported concerning the effects of calcium and vitamin D supplementation on cardiovascular outcomes. Most current guidelines recommend calcium intake of up to 1,200 mg daily, preferably from the diet, without concern for cardiovascular risk. Recommendations regarding vitamin D supplementation vary widely. There is compelling evidence from well-conducted randomized trials that modest vitamin D supplementation is safe but does not confer cardiovascular benefit or cardiovascular harm.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
HumansAgedCalciumVitamin DDietary SupplementsFractures, BoneDrug Therapy, Combination
Study Links
Quality Scores
Safety80
Efficacy70/10
Quality85/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations5
Citations/Year2.5
Relative Citation Ratio1.17
NIH Percentile56.1%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.75
Weight Score2.79
Normalized Score0.77
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