Mineral supplements are generally beneficial, but some prescription medications can interact with them, including calcium. Although some cholesterol-lowering medications can interact with calcium, Lipitor and other members of the statin class of medications do not. In fact, calcium has been studied to see if it can lower cholesterol levels, though its effects on cholesterol are minimal at best. Talk to your doctor before taking calcium supplements.
Lipitor
Lipitor is the brand name for the medication atorvastatin; statins are a class of medications that are used to lower cholesterol in the human body. Statins inhibit a key step in the synthesis of cholesterol by the liver and are very effective at reducing LDL or "bad" cholesterol while also increasing HDL or "good" cholesterol. Atorvastatin is typically taken once a day.
Calcium Interactions
Calcium supplements can be taken to help prevent osteoporosis and other consequences of low calcium levels. Calcium supplements can interact with many different medications; for example, the class of cholesterol-lowering drugs known as bile acid sequestrants can interfere with the absorption of calcium by the digestive tract. However, there is no documented drug interaction between Lipitor and calcium supplements.
Calcium and Cholesterol
Rather than interfere with the activity of Lipitor, calcium has been theorized to further lower cholesterol levels and improve other measures of cardiovascular health. However, a study published in a 2009 issue of "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" studied the effects of calcium supplementation and found no link between consuming calcium supplements and improved cholesterol levels, reduced triglyceride concentrations or other markers of cardiovascular well-being.
Considerations
Consuming calcium supplements does not appear to affect Lipitor positively or negatively. However, talk to your doctor before adding calcium supplements to your daily regimen. Too much calcium can cause nerve and muscle problems, and calcium supplements might interact with other medications that you take, including some blood pressure-lowering drugs and digoxin, a medication that can be used to help maintain cardiac function.
References
- PubMedHealth: Atorvastatin
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Possible Interactions with Calcium; Steven Ehrlich; 2007
- Drugs.com: Drug Interactions Between Calcium Citrate and Lipitor
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Effects of Calcium Supplementation on Lipids, Blood Pressure and Body Composition in Healthy Older Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial; R. Reid, et al.; 2009
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