Taking supplements has often been recommended, but many times the results are not as expected. Calcium supplements are the latest with unexpected consequences. New research from Johns Hopkins Medicine followed over 2,700 people for more than 10 years and found that taking calcium supplements might increase artery plaque build-up in arteries, leading to heart disease.
Unexpected side effects
Participants that took calcium supplements were 22% more likely to have coronary artery calcification. People in the study that ate calcium-rich foods didn’t show an increase in the risk of coronary artery disease.
Calcium-rich foods
Heart-healthy, calcium-rich, foods include; white beans, figs, bok choy, kale, molasses, black-eyed peas, almonds, turnip greens and fortified foods such as oatmeal, tofu, and soy milk.
More unexpected effects
Another study published in the American Journal of Neurology linked calcium supplements to dementia in women with cerebrovascular disease. This disease affects blood flow to the brain rather than to the heart, but the results are similar. Women who had a history of stroke and took supplements had 7 times the risk of developing dementia than women with a history of stroke who did not take calcium supplements.
Another reminder that the best way to get your nutrients is from real food.
Change your mind, change your health,
Shayla
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