Effect of oral calcium supplementation on blood pressure in patients with previously untreated hypertension: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study

Abstract

It has been claimed that calcium lowers BP. The present randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover study is the first to investigate the effect on BP of a high oral dose of calcium given for a long period to patients with previously untreated hypertension. Elemental calcium (2 g) was administered for 12 weeks interchanging with a period of 12 weeks of placebo. Twenty patients completed the protocol. There was no significant difference in change of BP during the period of additional calcium intake when compared with placebo (P = 0.33). The risk of not detecting a real BP-lowering effect of calcium of at least 3 mmHg was < 5%. No evidence for the existence of a subgroup of 'responders' was found. It is concluded that a high daily dose of calcium supplementation given for 12 weeks does not decrease BP in previously untreated patients with mild to moderate hypertension.