Calcium and Vitamin D are essential nutrients that our body needs for growth and development. Recent research has revealed that taking calcium and Vitamin D supplements together could increase your risk of a stroke. The research was published in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
The research results raised a lot of alarm bells among people, especially because a lot of people take dietary supplements, among which Vitamin D and calcium are the most common. Previously published research, in the Journal of Nutrition, found that 37 per cent of Americans took vitamin D and 43 per cent took a calcium supplement.
Why do we need calcium?
99 per cent of the body’s calcium supply is found in a person’s teeth and bones. Calcium is essential for blood to clot and for muscle contraction. In addition, it keeps your bones and teeth health and keeps osteoporosis at bay.
Women of the age 50 and younger need to consume 1000 mg of calcium per day, said National Osteoporosis Foundation. Women above the age of 51 need to up the calcium intake by 200 milligrams. Dairy products like cheese, milk and yoghurt are excellent sources of calcium.
Why do we need vitamin D?
Vitamin D is essential for calcium absorption by our body. It is also good for muscle development. Without adequate levels of vitamin D, you have an increased risk of breaking bones as you get older, the National Osteoporosis Foundation said.
Sunlight is the most important source of Vitamin D. Additionally; it can be got from fatty fish, including wild-caught mackerel, tuna, and salmon. It is also found in orange juice, fortified cereals, soymilk, and dairy products, including milk.
What does the new research say?
The combination of Vitamin D and calcium has previously too been subjected to debate. “It’s been looked at a lot. A few years ago, articles came out that said the same thing,” Stephen Kopecky, MD, a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, told Health.
Dr Kopecky explained that if you have been taking both together, there is no need to panic. The authors of the new report looked at previously published evidence concerning how supplements affect our health. Several of these studies lack precision and are obviously subjected to human error.
He added that if you’ve been told to take calcium and vitamin D supplements by your doctor, you shouldn’t stop. But if they were recommended by someone other than a doctor, it is better to reevaluate the decision. “I would speak to a caregiver or primary care provider. Say, ‘Do I really need this stuff?’”
