From treating hypocalcemia, or low blood calcium levels, to treating and preventing osteoporosis, calcium supplements may be an important addition to your diet. Combined with Vitamin D for better absorption, adequate levels of calcium are needed for bone health, as well as for proper nerve, muscle and heart function. Certain side effects are associated with taking a calcium supplement, but heart palpitations have not been shown to be associated with calcium supplements.
Calcium Is Essential for Heart Function
Maintaining normal blood levels of calcium is important for healthy heart function. Calcium is an electrolyte that is needed for proper contraction of the heart muscle. Adequate calcium levels allow the heart to complete a full contraction to effectively pump blood through the blood vessels. The journal "Physiology" reports that poor calcium handling is associated with heart failure. Therefore, healthy calcium levels preserve heart function and forceful heart contractions.
Calcium and Heart Palpitations
According to Drugs.com, calcium is not known to cause heart palpitations. Palpitations are irregularly strong heart beats. Because calcium is known to be related to the force of contraction of the heart, it is reasonable to consider that taking too much calcium may cause palpitations. However, MayoClinic.com notes that overdosing on calcium may cause high blood pressure or an irregular heart beat, but it does not cause palpitations. If you are having palpitations, you and your doctor must consider more likely causes.
Calcium and Heart Attack Risk
Palpitations and an irregular heart beat may be signs of an impending heart attack. Calcium may alter your heart beat at doses above recommended levels; however, high doses within the normal range are not likely to cause a heart attack. A review reported in 2010 in the "Annals of Internal Medicine" investigated the effects of moderate to high doses of vitamin D and calcium on the heart. Researchers reviewed 17 studies to determine if vitamin D and calcium would reduce the risk of heart disease. They found that vitamin D alone was associated with a slight reduction in heart attack risk, but the combination of vitamin D and calcium or calcium alone showed no association with heart attack risk.
Calcium and Cardiovascular Side Effects
Although calcium is not likely to cause palpitations, it may have other effects on your cardiovascular system. The most common side effects, according to MayoClinic.com, include dizziness, irregular heart beat and flushing. In most cases, these side effects should resolve with a reduction in calcium dosage. However, cardiovascular symptoms should not be ignored, and you should let your doctor know that you are experiencing these side effects. Depending on the severity of symptoms, emergency medical treatment may be indicated.
References
- Drugs.com: Calcium Carbonate
- MayoClinic.com: Calcium Supplement
- "Annals of Internal Medicine"; Systematic Review: Vitamin D and Calcium Supplementation in Prevention of Cardiovascular Events; Lu Wang, M.D., et al.; March 2010
- "Physiology"; Targeting Altered Calcium Physiology in the Heart: Translational Approaches to Excitation, Contraction, and Transcription; Tim Seidler, et al.; 2007
