Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D3

Absorbed more efficiently by the bottle than other forms of Calcium
300 capsules, Code 412

$29.95

Calcium is an essential mineral that is often inadequately supplied, inefficiently absorbed, or excreted faster than it is being assimilated.47 The citrate salt of calcium has been documented to be well absorbed and utilized by the body.48-51

47. Am J Clin Nutr. 2004 Aug;80(2):264-70.
48. Am J Ther. 1999 Nov;6(6):313-21.
49. J Am Coll Nutr. 1990 Dec;9(6):583-7.
50. J Bone Miner Res. 1988 Jun;3(3):253-8.
51. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1985 Aug;61(2):391-3.

Dosage and Use

• Take one to seven capsules daily with meals in divided doses.
  
• For women over age 35, 1500 to 2000 mg of elemental calcium is suggested.
  
• For men and women under age 35, 1000 mg elemental calcium is suggested.
  
• Check the calcium content of other supplements you are taking to determine how much additional calcium should be supplemented.
  
  
  

Caution
Large doses of vitamin D3 (over 1900 IU/day) may cause hypercalcemia, a decrease in renal function, and nephrocalcinosis. Monthly blood tests to monitor serum calcium and parathyroid hormone levels should be done to protect against vitamin D3 toxicity when high doses are consumed on a regular basis. Underlying kidney disease may preclude high dose vitamin D3 supplementation.*

Excerpt from LE Magazine

Are You Absorbing Your Supplemental Calcium?

There are several different forms of calcium available to consumers. Each form has a different degree of solubility and absorption. Young people produce high levels of stomach hydrochloric acid and can easily solubilize and absorb almost any form of calcium. Older people, on the other hand, often have a stomach acid deficit or take drugs such as Prilosec that block stomach acid production. Those with insufficient stomach acid output have been shown to absorb only about 4% of calcium carbonate supplements, whereas these same people will absorb 45% of calcium citrate supplements. Even people with normal levels of stomach acid only absorb about 22% of calcium carbonate supplements. Most commercial calcium preparations found in pharmacies contain low-cost calcium carbonate, including OTC anti-acid products that claim to have a high calcium content. Supplement companies often promote the benefits of oyster-shell calcium, but this form is really only calcium carbonate obtained from oyster shell. Another form of calcium that has gotten a lot of recognition is calcium hydroxyapatite, which comes from purified bone meal. One study showed that this expensive form of calcium has an absorption rate that is about 32% less than calcium carbonate.

Since the body needs between 1000 and 2000 mg of elemental calcium a day, the rate of mineral absorption into the bloodstream is a critical consideration. The wrong form can result in a person swallowing a lot of pills and absorbing little actual calcium into their blood stream. Calcium citrate is most often used by the informed consumer who understands the importance of getting calcium into the bloodstream where it is used to maintain and re-mineralize bone.

While calcium citrate is superior to most commercial calcium supplements, there are two other forms of calcium that have shown better solubility and absorption. When the chelating agent malic acid is added to calcium citrate, calcium citrate malate is created, a compound that is 10 times more soluble than calcium citrate.

"Solubility" refers to the amount of a mineral that can be dissolved in water at a neutral ph. If stomach acid levels are high, most forms of calcium are soluble. But as people grow older, the need for a soluble form of calcium can become critical. Based on human absorption studies, calcium citrate malate is about 30% more absorbable than calcium citrate. Calcium is first solubilized in the stomach, and then absorbed into the bloodstream through the intestine. A highly alkaline intestine can interfere with calcium absorption, but vitamin D3 can increase intestinal absorption.

The most absorbable form of calcium is called calcium bis-glycinate. This form of calcium is 205 times more soluble than calcium citrate. In human studies, calcium bis-glycinate was shown to absorb 1.8 times better (180%) than calcium citrate and 21% better than calcium citrate malate.

Conventional nutritional scientists have long looked at "solubility" as being critical for mineral absorption. This assumption is being challenged by studies showing that other factors are involved in calcium absorption. The fact that calcium bis-glycinate is 1.8 times better absorbed compared to calcium citrate, but that bis-glycinate is 205 times more soluble than citrate, clearly shows that solubility is only one determinant of how much calcium is actually absorbed into the blood.

Why Women Don't Get Enough Calcium

The body requires large amounts of calcium to maintain bone density. The problem with commercial calcium preparations is that a lot of pills are required to be swallowed in order to get the recommended 1000 to 2000 mg of elemental calcium per day. The greatest area of confusion is with the labeling. A capsule that contains 1000 mg of calcium citrate provides only 220 mg of elemental calcium. Some women mistakenly take just one or two capsules a day, because the bottle may say "Calcium Citrate 1000 mg." An examination of the label, however, will reveal that the amount of actual calcium per capsule is considerably less.

Even women who know they should be getting more supplemental calcium fail to do so because they don't want to swallow more pills. That is why taking a highly absorbable calcium supplement is so important. Based on human absorption studies, a woman taking 1000 mg of elemental calcium in the bis-glycinate form would be absorbing the equivalent 1820 mg of calcium if taken in the citrate form (calcium citrate). When calcium is bound to glycine to form calcium bis-glycinate, it becomes an amino acid chelate that can be utilized by cells throughout the body. Amino acid chelating agents promote the assimilation of the mineral into the cells to facilitate the Krebs energy cycle. A fascinating human study on calcium absorption can be found in the journal Calcified Tissue International (1990, 46:300-304).

The recent availability of low-cost calcium bisglycinate enables people to get more calcium into their bloodstream while taking fewer capsules per day.

If there is one supplement that should be taken in capsule form, it is calcium. When calcium is put into tablet form, it may not break down in the digestive tract. Small amounts of calcium are used as binding agents for making tablets. When the entire tablet is made of calcium, it becomes impossible for some people to break down the hard tablet.

Article: CALCIUM Keep What You Take

These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease