Does Calcium Clean Your Arteries?

Various therapeutic benefits have been associated with the mineral calcium. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, most clinical studies indicate that getting enough calcium from the foods you eat or from supplements can lower high blood pressure, a condition that puts you at risk for heart attack and stroke. Conversely, some doctors think that supplemental calcium can build up in the walls of your arteries and cause a serious heart condition called atherosclerosis.

About Calcium

Calcium is a mineral that your body needs to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, or UMMC, your bones and teeth are your body's main repository of calcium, containing 99 percent of this vital mineral. Calcium also encourages healthy functioning of your heart, muscles and nerves. According to the Linus Pauling Institute, most medical experts advise that you get the calcium you need from food, rather than a supplement, unless your diet is calcium deficient.

High Blood Pressure

Calcium is most closely associated with the prevention of osteoporosis, says the UMMC. Adequate amounts of calcium may prevent hypoparathyroidism -- a condition caused when one or more of your parathyroid glands secretes too much parathyroid hormone -- as well as symptoms of premenstrual syndrome, high cholesterol and rickets -- calcium deficiency -- in children. According to the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, low blood calcium levels are tied to high blood pressure because this condition results in excess calcium levels in the urine, suggesting that too much of the mineral is being depleted from your blood. Many studies have indicated that a boost in calcium intake in most people lowers high blood pressure. However, the UMMC also notes that scientists aren't sure if you derive this benefit from taking calcium supplements or from eating a calcium-rich diet.

What Science Says

Results of a review published in the January 1999 of the "American Journal of Hypertension" by researchers at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario examined the effect of calcium supplements on blood pressure. Researchers looked at the results of 42 clinical studies and arrived at the conclusion that calcium supplements can result in a "small reduction in systolic and diastolic blood pressure." An earlier study conducted by Johns Hopkins University researchers looked at the effects of the DASH -- Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension -- diet on 549 people. Results published in the April 1997 edition of the "New England Journal of Medicine" indicate that a combination diet rich in fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods lowered blood pressure more than a diet of fruits and vegetables.

Calcium Supplements Risks

Some doctors believe that calcium supplements increase your risk for heart attack, says Mayo Clinic cardiologist Martha Grogan. A May 2008 "Science Daily" article states that a technique called calcium coverage scoring may predict your risk for heart attack. This technique, which relies on computerized tomography -- CT imaging -- to visualize the blood vessels looks at the amount of calcium plaque that has amassed in your arteries, as well as its location. A twofold increase in your calcium coverage score suggests that you're 34 percent more likely to experience a heart attack or heart-related health problem. Grogan states that calcium supplements that contain only calcium -- not the calcium in multivitamins and combination supplements, such as calcium and vitamin D -- pose the greatest concern. However, more research needs to be done to see how calcium supplements affect your risk for a heart attack, she concludes.

Using Calcium Supplements

Calcium supplements are classified as dietary supplements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. As indicated by this classification, they're meant to supplement your diet, giving you the essential nutrients you don't get from food. Calcium supplements should never be used in lieu of the drugs or medical treatment your physician prescribes. Dietary supplements can interact with medications and other dietary supplements you're currently taking. Calcium supplements are also not recommended for people with certain health conditions, such as hypothyroidism. Please speak with your doctor before using dietary supplements to address your health concerns.