Calcium Citrate

Sponsored Links

With all of the different kinds of calcium available, sometimes it is difficult to tell which one is best or which one you should be taking. Calcium citrate in particular is absorbed easily but doesn’t have some of the benefits that calcium carbonate has. To explain this further I will speak about each of them and hot you can benefit from them.

Calcium carbonate is made up of 40% ‘elemental’ calcium which the body can use. This basically means that if you ingested a 100mg tablet, that 40mg would be able to absorb in to your body. This is not to say the rest is wasted but it is highly unlikely that your body will spend the energy to process it and pass it out as waste. When looking at a bottle of tablets you should check to see what the elemental percentage value is.

On the other hand calcium citrate would provide 30-35mg per 100mg. With this type of supplement you should eat a lot of other calcium rich food and lots of water. With both types the other foods that you eat will have an impact on how much calcium your body will absorb. Vitamin D and phosphorus are two minerals that help with absorption while sugars and caffeine will work against your body.

You might be allergic to the citrate version and this will cause your body to expel it through your urine. In fact you may already know if you have or have had kidney stone problems because calcium deposits are the cause of that condition. If you decide to take these tablets without consulting your doctor and notice any types of infection or problems, you need to stop taking them immediately and see your doctor for medical attention.

Calcium carbonate is extremely popular because it is easy to get and very cheap. One of the popular ways to get it was through coral reefs but that fad is slowly dying down due to the destructive nature of retrieving it. There are similar supplements that include the same minerals are the reef calcium and is usually something you take after a meal. This allows your body to process the calcium a bit easier once the stomach is warmed up and full of digestive juices.

Even people who have problems drinking milk can benefit from calcium carbonate because of its ability to not upset the stomach. However, just because it is a good thing does not mean that you should take a lot of it. In fact most calcium supplements are not needed because you can get all you need from your food.

Although calcium citrate is available, you might be better off with the carbonate version because of its price and tolerability by most people. Check with your doctor to see if you really need a calcium supplement and keep him or her updated if you notice any changes in your body.