Should I avoid dietary calcium if I have a high coronary calcium score? Dr. Mallika Marshall answers your questions

BOSTON - Dr. Mallika Marshall is answering your latest health questions. If you have a question, email her or message her on Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter).     

Dean writes, "I have a high coronary calcium score. I'm wondering if I should avoid dietary calcium found in almond milk, cheese and broccoli?"

 A coronary calcium score indicates the degree to which you have blockages in the arteries in your heart and can predict how likely you are to have a heart attack or stroke over the next 10 years. If your score is high, you need to speak to your doctor or a cardiologist about what to do next.

You should probably not take calcium supplements, but you don't necessarily need to avoid dietary calcium. And there are lifestyle changes that can reduce your risk such as eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking and alcohol, losing weight if you're overweight, and controlling underlying conditions like diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

Dr. Mallika is offering her best advice, but as always, consult your personal doctor before making any decisions about your personal health. 

In:
• Health
• Heart Disease

Mallika Marshall, MD

Mallika Marshall, MD is an Emmy-award-winning journalist and physician who has served as the HealthWatch Reporter for CBS Boston/WBZ-TV for over 20 years. A practicing physician Board Certified in both Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Dr. Marshall serves on staff at Harvard Medical School and practices at Massachusetts General Hospital at the MGH Chelsea Urgent Care and the MGH Revere Health Center, where she is currently working on the frontlines caring for patients with COVID-19. She is also a host and contributing editor for Harvard Health Publications (HHP), the publishing division of Harvard Medical School.

Twitter Facebook