Confusion Around Calcium

In the last few years, there have been a few studies that have brought up concern around calcium intake and increased rate of heart disease and death.  An article by Tina Kaczor in the April 2013 edition of Natural Medicine Journal examines the recent Swedish study on long term calcium intake and rates of all cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality.  The Swedish study found that people consuming more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day had higher rates of all cause mortality (death due to all causes) and cardiovascular disease mortality (death due to heart disease) compared to people who consumed 600 - 1000 mg of dietary calcium per day.  The same increased rates were seen for women in the study who took a calcium supplement (a standard calcium supplement prescription in Sweden is 500 mg per day) and consumed more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day, but were not seen for women in the study who took a calcium supplement and did not consume more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day.  The same increased rate of all cause mortality was also seen for people consuming less than 600 mg of dietary calcium per day.  Interestingly, in Sweden, milk consumption (which most people consider their primary source of dietary calcium) is generally high, and still only 2% of the study population were consuming more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day.  This gives a good insight into the fact that it is unlikely that most of us are getting more than 1400 mg of dietary calcium per day and that we do not need to feel alarmed by this recent study.  As well, the info from the study did not show any concern around calcium supplementation when the dietary calcium intake was below 1400 mg per day, so for the great majority of us there is no concern around taking a good quality calcium supplement on a daily basis.  The study did show that it is important for us to be aiming for between 600 - 1000 mg of dietary calcium per day, so it is a good idea for each of us to examine our diet to ensure we are within this range. Here are some examples of the amount of calcium found in different foods:  1 cup of milk (including generally both soy and dairy based) = 300 mg, 1 cup dairy based yogurt = 450 mg, 1 cup cooked broccoli = 180 mg, 1 cup raw kale = 55 mg, 1 cup cooked spinach = 240 mg, 1 cup calcium fortified orange juice = 300 mg, 1 cup cooked chickpeas = 80 mg, 4 ounces firm tofu = 250 mg, 1 cup cooked brown rice = 50 mg, 1 ounce almonds = 80 mg, 1 tbsp tahini (sesame seed butter) = 130 mg.