dietary calcium and hypertension
Last edited 02/2022 and last reviewed 02/2022
- an analysis of the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey
(NHANES III) was designed to investigate the impact of dietary calcium intake
on age-related changes in blood pressure and pulse pressure
- data on 17,030 participants 20 years or older (mean age, 48.8+/-0.2 years; 47% male, 42% Caucasian, and 28% African American) were used
- other data included demographics, body mass index, blood pressure, and daily dietary calcium
- analysis
- after adjustment for demographic and anthropomorphic variables, as well as total energy consumption, higher calcium intake was associated with lower rates of age-related increases of systolic blood pressure and pulse pressure (p<0.001)
- the
study authors concluded
- if the calcium intake of the general population were to increase to above 1200 mg, the incidence of isolated systolic hypertension in the elderly might be decreased
- a systematic review concluded that:
- "..An increase in calcium intake slightly reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in normotensive people, particularly in young people, suggesting a role in the prevention of hypertension. The effect across multiple prespecified subgroups and a possible dose response effect reinforce this conclusion. Even small reductions in blood pressure could have important health implications for reducing vascular disease. A 2 mmHg lower systolic blood pressure is predicted to produce about 10% lower stroke mortality and about 7% lower mortality from ischaemic heart disease.."
Reference:
- Hajjar IM et al. Dietary Calcium Lowers the Age-Related Rise in Blood Pressure in the United States: The NHANES III Survey. J Clin Hypertens (2003); 5(2):122-126
- Cormick G et al. Calcium supplementation for prevention of primary hypertension. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2022, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD010037. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD010037.pub4