DEAR Dr. Fritz,

Good day. I wonder if calcium supplements are bad for the heart because my friend told me that this is so. Is this true? I am worried because I am taking calcium supplements to strengthen my bones as I am not getting any younger.

I hope to hear from you soon. Thank you and God bless you always.

Old Lucky

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Dear Old Lucky,

Let me lay down to you the result of a recent study on calcium supplements. This is quite interesting. They found out that when the levels of calcium intake went up, the risk of developing heart disease went down. But when they went further -- as they get to the source of calcium, they found out that calcium that came from dietary sources was protective, while the calcium that came from supplements actually seemed to accelerate heart disease. One possible reason here, would be that the body is unable to process a lot of calcium coming in all at once -- as with supplements. But, this is not the same as that of calcium coming from food.

But, if you are one of those who are really considering calcium supplements, you have to see your physician to help you get through with this. At the meantime, consider getting calcium-rich food instead of supplements, and be sure that you get them from calcium-rich foods. Below are few good sources:

1. Dairy products like low-fat and non-fat milk, yogurt and cheese

2. Canned sardines and salmon

3. Cooked beans and legumes

4. Okra, Chinese cabbage, and Broccoli

Good luck!

Dr. Fritz

(Dr. Fritz Legarde Espedilla is an aesthetic dermatologist and surgeon and a clinical sexologist. She is also trained in hypnotherapy and Medical Acupuncture. She has been in the broadcast media for more than a decade and has written a book based on her 15 year stint with her radio program, "Healthy is Sexy Secrets ni Dr. Fritz." She is the program host of Secrets with Dr. Fritz over Hugyaw.com . For your questions, you may e-mail them to dokfritz@yahoo.com. If you don't wish your letter to be published, we regret that we cannot answer them. Thank you for your understanding.)