Vitamin D, Calcium Supplements Do Not Increase CAC Scores

Women who take moderate doses of vitamin D and calcium supplements are not at any additional risk of having abnormally high coronary artery calcium (CAC) scores, a new study has found.

Principal investigator JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and her colleagues undertook the study in response to the growing concern of many female patients who question whether some supplements can increase calcium deposits in the blood. These deposits can create blockages and increase a person’s risk of suffering a cardiovascular-related event, according to InSciences.org.

For the study, the investigators randomly assigned 754 women aged 50 to 59 to receive either 1,000 mg of elemental calcium and 400 IU of vitamin D3 or a placebo every day for an average of seven years.

At the point of follow-up, the CAC scores of women in both groups were similar, and the researchers were unable to identify any evidence linking vitamin supplementation to calcium deposits in the blood. Furthermore, women who reported taking higher than average doses of calcium and vitamin D experienced no ill effects.

"This study provides reassuring evidence that moderate doses of calcium and vitamin D supplements do not increase calcium deposition in the coronary arteries," said Mason. "Thus, women need not avoid these supplements and sacrifice bone health due to concern about such a risk."

Vitamin D and calcium supplements can help older adults minimize bone loss and prevent osteoporosis.