Studies have shown that taking calcium drugs, which are widely used for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis, increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases such as angina and myocardial infarction.
As a result of a meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials published in international journals from 1990 to 2013, Professor Seung-kwon Myung and Professor Hong-Bae Kim of the Department of Family Medicine at Myongji Hospital of Hanyang University revealed that this was confirmed as a result of a meta-analysis of 13 clinical trials published in international journals from 1990 to 2013.
The research team synthesized the results of 13 randomized double-blind placebo-controlled clinical trials finally selected through literature search from major medical databases such as PubMed, Mbase, and Cochrane libraries. The risk of cardiovascular disease (including coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease) was 15% higher (relative risk 1.15, 95% confidence interval 1.06-1.25) than those who took.
As a result of meta-analysis of cardiovascular disease into coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease, only the risk of coronary artery disease was statistically significantly higher (relative risk 1.16, 95% confidence interval 1.05-1.28), and in the case of subjects with underlying diseases Although there was no statistical significance between taking calcium drugs and the risk of cardiovascular disease, it was found that the risk of cardiovascular disease was significantly increased in postmenopausal healthy women.
Meanwhile, the current health and medical science community recommends that adults over 50 years of age consume 700 to 1200 mg of calcium per day for the purpose of preventing and treating osteoporosis. Recommended.
However, as a result of a meta-analysis of seven clinical trials in the British Medical Journal in 2010, it was reported that the risk of myocardial infarction increased by about 30% when taking calcium drugs. On the contrary, in the meta-analysis paper published subsequently, it was controversial as the result that calcium drug administration was not related to cardiovascular disease risk.
In this regard, Professor Seung-kwon Myung said, “The reason why the research results of meta-analysis papers are different is due to the selection criteria of individual papers included in the meta-analysis, the characteristics of the research subjects, and the inclusion of unpublished data.” In the case of supplementing calcium in the form of a calcium agent, the serum calcium concentration increases for a long time, which increases the risk of calcification of blood vessels, which is interpreted as a biological mechanism that can lead to cardiovascular disease. As another mechanism, calcium in the blood is involved in blood vessel coagulation, so excessive calcium intake can eventually increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Professor Myung continued, “According to the results of previous studies, about half of postmenopausal women in the West and not a few women in Korea are taking calcium drugs for the purpose of preventing or treating osteoporosis or fractures.” According to a meta-analysis study of clinical trials, the results of studies published over the last 10 years have begun to come out differently from previous studies, such as that taking calcium or vitamin D drugs does not lower the frequency of fractures due to osteoporosis.”
In addition, Professor Myung said, “In 2018, the Special Committee on Disease Prevention Services under the Ministry of Health and Welfare reviewed the latest research results and found that supplementing calcium or vitamin D in the form of drugs (not food) was not effective in preventing fractures. They concluded, which is in the same context with the results of this study, and emphasized the clinical significance of the study, saying, “You should not eat calcium or vitamin D in the form of health functional foods or medicines.”
Professor Hong-Bae Kim also said, “This study is a comprehensive meta-analysis including the most clinical trials among meta-analysis papers published so far.” As a result of performing a meta-analysis by various factors such as the quality of health, it was found that the use of calcium drugs increased the risk of cardiovascular disease by about 15%,” he stressed the merits of this meta-analysis study.
Meanwhile, the results of this study were published last January in’Nutrients’ (IF 4.5), an international academic journal of the SCIE.