This is from last week's issue our free health and fitness newsletter (we do not sell supplements or anything else).
"Dear Dr. Mirkin: Please explain the recent study showing that
calcium pills increase heart attack risk.
Calcium in pills, unlike calcium in foods, causes a rise
in blood calcium levels that could damage arteries. Also, excess
calcium in the blood blocks the conversion of inactive vitamin D to
active vitamin D, and lack of active vitamin D increases risk for
heart attacks. A review of 11 controlled studies involving about
12,000 patients found that taking calcium pills (at least 500
mg/day) without also taking vitamin D is associated with an almost
30 percent increase in heart attack risk (British Medical Journal,
published online July 29, 2010). Furthermore, most people take
calcium supplements to help prevent or treat osteoporosis. Taking
calcium pills without vitamin D has not been shown to prevent
bone fractures.
I recommend that you get your calcium in food; I do not
recommend calcium pills. If you feel that you need to take them,
take 1000 IU of vitamin D with each 1000 mg of calcium."
Here's a link to our newsletter and web site
http://www.drmirkin.com/public/EzineList.html