Adding supplements to your daily routine can be one great way to ensure you’re providing your body with all of the nutrients it needs to thrive. Sometimes you don’t get the vitamins and minerals you need straight from your diet, and supplements make it easy to fill in those gaps.
However, it’s important to remember that some supplements can lead to adverse effects and may even be dangerous. It’s especially crucial to be conscious of how certain supplements interact with each other and the potential consequences at hand. As it turns out, combining calcium and iron could take a serious toll on your heart.
To learn more about the risks of combining these popular supplements, we spoke to registered dietitian Krutika Nanavati. She told us that when taken together, they could result in anemia, which puts a strain on your heart. Read on for more info.
How combining calcium and iron can damage your heart
Calcium and iron both play crucial roles in your health. If you're not getting enough of each from the food you eat, you may think that opting for supplements is a good way to fix this issue and keep your body in the best shape possible. However, while taking these supplements individually is usually fine (although iron supplements could lead to digestive issues), they can be dangerous when combined.
"Combining [calcium and iron] in supplement form can have adverse effects," Nanavati warns. "Calcium can interfere with the absorption of iron, particularly non-heme iron found in plant-based foods and supplements."
This means that calcium supplements could render your iron supplements ineffective, which might prevent you from getting all of the iron your body needs. "This interaction can lead to reduced iron absorption, potentially resulting in iron deficiency anemia over time," she explains.
But what does anemia have to do with your heart? While you may associate this deficiency with fatigue and headaches, Nanavati warns that it can also lead to cardiovascular issues. "Anemia strains the cardiovascular system, affecting oxygen delivery to tissues and increasing the heart's workload," she tells us. Yikes!
Ultimately, the best way to get both iron and calcium is directly from the food you eat, and it's always important to be aware of the risks that come with any sort of supplement or medication you take.
"Remember, always consult with a healthcare provider before starting any new supplement regimen. Even natural supplements can have adverse effects when combined or taken in excessive amounts," Nanavati concludes.
