Calcium supplements link to heart attacks

Calcium supplements, taken by hundreds of thousands of elderly people and post-menopausal women to prevent bone thinning, may double the risk of having a heart attack, a study has found.

Researchers warned that the pills should be “taken with caution”, and experts commenting on the findings questioned their safety.

Previous studies linked higher calcium intake with a reduction of heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure, obesity and type-2 diabetes.