FAQ Archive

  • August 2008:
    "Healthy choices from fast-food menus?"
  • October 2008:
    What does the Daily Value represent on my yogurt’s nutrition label?
  • September 2008:
    "Isn’t diet and exercise the best way to promote heart health?"
  • August 2008:
    "Healthy choices from fast-food menus?"
  • July 2008:
    Body detoxification
  • June 2008:
    Is it possible to eat well without breaking the bank?
  • May 2008:
    "Downed" cows
  • April 2008:
    “Are there healthier espresso options?”
  • March 2008:
    “Deceptively Delicious”
  • February 2008:
    What does "nutrient-rich" mean?
  • January 2008:
    Raw milk vs. pasteurized milk
  • December 2007:
    The dairy industry’s involvement in eating “local”
  • November 2007:
    E. coli and dairy foods
  • October 2007:
    School lunches vs. packed lunches
  • September 2007:
    Fat-free half-and-half
  • August 2007:
    Milk’s impact on teeth
  • July 2007:
    Dealing with lactose intolerance
  • June 2007:
    The relationship between calcium and heart disease
  • May 2007:
    Mothers’ influences on daughter’s eating habits
  • April 2007:
    “Extreme eating” at restaurants
  • March 2007:
    The validity of industry-sponsored dairy studies
  • February 2007:
    What is cloned milk and is it safe?
  • January 2007:
    Cholesterol guidelines for children
  • December 2006:
    Home-cooked healthy meal suggestions
  • November 2006
    E. coli and dairy foods
  • October 2006:
    Hormones and children’s health
  • September 2006:
    Back to school and healthy eating
  • August 2006:
    Healthy eating and summer fun
  • July 2006:
    Dietary guidelines and beverage choices
  • April 2006:
    Women’s health and eating plans
  • March 2006:
    Birthday party treats and healthy eating
  • February 2006:
    Heart healthy food plans
  • January 2006:
    Kidney stones and calcium

    • Frequently Asked Questions

    June 2007

    By Althea Zanecosky, MS, RD, LDN
    Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association

    Q: I’ve read that a calcium build-up in the arteries can cause a heart attack, and now some mall and health fair screenings offer imaging tests for detecting calcium in the heart. What is the relationship between calcium and heart disease?

    A: Calcium is a mineral found mostly in bones but is also in other parts of the human body. The cells in the heart and blood vessels contain calcium, which helps the cardiovascular system function normally. As calcium moves into and out of the heart cells, it triggers the contraction of the heart muscles that cause the heart to pump. Calcium also generates the squeezing action of the blood vessels that help move blood through the body.

    Deposits of fatty plaque in the arteries, called atherosclerosis, contribute to the production of a protein that binds very small amounts of calcium circulating in the blood.  And the body responds to inflammation by depositing calcium in the area of damage. This applies to all parts of the body, including the coronary arteries. Thus, artery walls can become “calcified.”

    Heart attacks often come with no warning. Because calcium shows up easily on X-rays, and particularly on CAT scans, an imaging technology called coronary calcium scan can examine the heart in just minutes and may provide some advance notice of problems.  Heart scans may indicate if you're at higher risk of a heart attack or other problems well before you have any outward symptoms of disease.

    But the calcium that can build up in arteries is independent of the calcium you consume — dietary calcium has no effect on atherosclerosis. While calcium detection may aid in the diagnosis of atherosclerosis, the treatment of coronary artery disease is not about reducing calcium.  In fact, the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has shown that calcium from nonfat or lowfat dairy products helps lower blood pressure, reducing cardiac risk.  The American Heart Association (AHA) recommendation is for adults to consume between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day. Fat-free milk and lowfat dairy products are recommended by AHA as excellent sources of calcium.

    For more information about the DASH diet, visit:

    http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/public/heart/hbp/dash/new_dash.pdf

    For American Heart Association’s calcium and dairy and recommendations, log on to:

    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4453 and

    http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4684

    Do you have a dairy-related question for “Ask the Dietitian?”

    If so, please submit your question to dairyspot.com. We will try our best to answer your question in an upcoming “Ask the Dietitian” column. We cannot guarantee that all questions will be answered.