Should calcium intake be limited to keep coronary calcium low?
Short answer, no, you do not need to limit healthy dietary calcium to keep your coronary calcium score low.
In our conversation with Dr. Jayne Morgan, cardiologist, she addressed this directly. The calcium in your diet, like milk or yogurt, does not drive up your coronary artery calcium score. That score reflects long term plaque buildup in the arteries, not how much calcium rich food you eat.
You can watch her explanation here: Anti Inflammatory Nutrition chapter: Menopause & Heart Health: Navigating Cardiovascular Wellness As We Age | Dr. Jayne Morgan - Anti-Inflammatory Nutrition
That said, here at Alloy we do recommend being thoughtful about calcium supplements, especially at midlife:
Once bones are fully formed, extra calcium does not prevent or treat bone loss
Calcium supplements are often poorly absorbed
Some studies show they may increase calcium buildup in arteries
Women should aim for 1200 mg per day from food, not supplements
Great food sources include:
Almonds
Oranges and figs
Soybeans and garbanzo beans
Kale, spinach, broccoli
Salmon
If you are concerned about heart risk, a one time coronary calcium score test can be helpful to assess long term risk. Your primary care provider can order it.
For more on midlife nutrition and heart health, you may also enjoy our article: Nutrition + The Menopause Society | Alloy
At Alloy, we focus on the full picture, heart health, bone health, hormones, and nutrition all work together.
This answer was created using the following resources: