The mineral calcium plays a crucial role in promoting healthy bones and teeth -- 99 percent of your body's stores are in these areas. It also plays a role in heart and muscle health, among other things. Many forms of calcium exist, with calcium carbonate being a popular form of supplemental calcium. For most people, taking calcium carbonate supplements will not pose any serious health risks, but like many drugs and supplements, it might cause adverse effects in certain instances. Always check with your doctor before beginning treatment with any sort of dietary supplement.
Tolerable Upper Limit
Calcium has established tolerable upper intake levels. If you regularly consume more calcium than this limit, you increase your risk for adverse effects. The Office of Dietary Supplements of the National Institutes of Health notes the following upper limits of daily calcium intake: children 0 to 6 months, 1,000 mg; children 7 to 12 months, 1,500 mg; children 1 to 8, 2,500 mg; children 9 to 18, 3,000 mg; adults 19 to 50, 2,500 mg; anyone 51 and older, 2,000 mg. Note that this amount includes both foods and supplements. If you want to supplement with calcium carbonate, work with your doctor to determine an appropriate dose based on your typical diet and other factors that affect your calcium levels, such as the use of certain medications.
Reported Side Effects
Calcium in any dose might cause stomach upset and constipation. The University of Maryland Medical Center notes high doses can result in nausea, vomiting, appetite loss, more frequent urination, kidney toxicity, irregular heart beat and confusion. If you suffer from medical conditions that raise the amount of calcium in your body, you are particularly susceptible to the dangers of calcium supplementation and should not use them. Examples of these conditions include include cancer, sarcoidosis, renal failure and hyperparathyroidism.
Interactions
Calcium might interfere with the absorption of antibiotics and thyroid hormone medications -- take your supplements and medications at least two hours apart. The use of thiazide diuretics can raise calcium levels in the blood. Using a calcium supplement might also increase the risk of adverse effects associated with the heart medication digoxin. It might also reduce absorption of iron and zinc.
Increased Risk of Kidney Stones
According to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, calcium from supplements, but not diet, appears to increase the risk of kidney stones. The Office of Dietary Supplements notes long-term research that found postmenopausal women who took 1,000 mg of calcium every day for seven years were 17 percent more likely to develop kidney stones compared to those taking a placebo.
Prostate Cancer Risk
The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center reports high intake of calcium might increase the risk of prostate cancer. Research examining this link, however, has produced mixed results, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, which notes a meta-analysis of the available research found it might "slightly increase" the risk. If you have a risk of developing prostate cancer, discuss the possible risks of calcium supplements with your doctor.
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