Should I Take a Calcium Supplement?

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D., "Got Calcium?," July/August 2011

New research on menopause and calcium supplements.

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Many women are advised to take a calcium supplement for healthy bones—especially after menopause (when decreasing estrogen levels accelerate bone loss). In fact, the majority of American women over 31 take calcium supplements, says a 2010 study in The Journal of Nutrition.

But new research, published online in the British Medical Journal, might have you second-guessing a supplement. Scientists reported that postmenopausal women who took calcium supplements increased their risk of heart attack by 25 to 30 percent and stroke by 15 to 20 percent.

Next: More Information on Calcium Supplements »