People who build up calcium in their arteries have a six times greater risk of coronary artery disease (CAD); the risk has been shown in multiple studies and now quantified by LA BIOMED.
The study, conducted by Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, LA BIOMED, followed 6,778 people between the ages of 48 and 84 as part of MESA (the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis). At the outset almost half (49.9 per cent) of the participants had calcium deposits in the arteries, and 2.5 years later almost all (84.4 per cent) had continued to accumulate calcium.
Those with the highest build-up of calcium in the coronary artery had a 6-fold greater risk of heart disease.
The fact is that researchers often use a test called a coronary artery calcium (CAC) scan to look for early signs of heart disease. They look for calcium specks inside arteries.
LA BIOMED have produced several studies. In one study(1) following 5,600 patients for 20 years, showed that the score accurately predicted a person’s risk of a heart attack. A build up of calcium can lead to a heart attack, as it helps narrow the arteries.
Typically, calcium in the West comes from cows’, sheep and goats’ dairy, but the use of calcium supplements and multi-mineral or multi-vitamin and mineral supplements has come into question. A calcium supplement can be little more than chalk but is routinely provided by hospitals, for example to cancer patients.
According to Harvard Health, 43% of people in the USA take supplements containing calcium, that figure rising to 70% of older women. Usually, they do it to strengthen their bones. However, people wishing to strengthen their bones would be better advised to take vitamin D, Magnesium (and even a little phosphorus) and enjoy one good helping of fresh greens a day. No cows’ dairy or added calcium is necessary.
There have been several studies that have observed a link between the use of calcium supplements and a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, Dr. Susanna C. Larsson and a team from the Karolinska Institute showed a direct link between calcium and heart disease. According to their research calcium really starts to build up after 60 years of age. They felt one reason for this could be hereditary(1)
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References
- https://labiomed.org/news/calcium-score-predicts-future-heart-disease-among-adults-little-or-no-risk-factors-la-biomed
- https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/article-abstract/2645106?utm_source=Silverchair_Information_Systems&utm_campaign=FTM_07202017&utm_content=news_releases&cmp=1&utm_medium=email
