I’ve come to believe, through my experience treating hundreds of patients, that many of us benefit from supplementation even if we’re eating a nutrient-dense, whole-foods diet. Some nutrients are challenging to get through food alone due to challenges like declining soil quality, a growing toxic burden, an increase in digestive issues and chronic diseases that interfere with nutrient absorption, and several other factors that are now common in the modern world. The latest statistics suggest that most Americans don’t get enough of several essential vitamins and minerals, and low nutrient intake is associated with a higher risk of chronic disease and a shorter lifespan.
That said, there are some nutrients that we need to be careful with when supplementing. More is not always better, and the specific form of the nutrient in the supplement can make a big difference in how it impacts us. This doesn’t mean that we should never take these nutrients as supplements, but it does mean that we have to be smart about how we supplement with them.
Calcium supplements are a prime example of this.
Do Calcium Supplements Work?
Calcium has become extremely popular as a supplement, especially among aging women, in the hope that it will prevent fractures and protect against osteoporosis.
We’ve all seen the products on the market aimed at the “worried well,” such as Viactiv and Caltrate, suggesting that supplementing with calcium can help maintain bone health and prevent osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a serious concern in women’s health, and it affects at least 10 percent of American women. (1) Yet the evidence that calcium supplementation strengthens the bones and teeth was never strong to begin with, and it has grown weaker with new research published in the past few years.
Are you taking a common supplement that may increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and death? Read this article to find out. #bonehealth #heartdisease #nutritionalsupplements
A 2012 analysis found that consuming a high amount of calcium beyond recommended dietary guidelines, typically from supplementation, provided no benefit for hip or lumbar vertebral bone mineral density in older adults. (2) A 2007 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that calcium supplements don’t reduce fracture rates in postmenopausal women and may even increase the rate of hip fractures. (3)
Are Calcium Supplements Safe?
Beyond being ineffective for bone health, standard calcium supplements are associated with some pretty serious health risks.
Heart Disease Risk
Studies on the relationship between calcium and cardiovascular disease (CVD) suggest that dietary intake of calcium protects against heart disease, but supplemental calcium may increase the risk. A 2012 study of 24,000 men and women aged 35 to 64 years published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) found that those who used calcium supplements had a 139 percent greater risk of heart attack during the 11-year study period, while intake of food calcium did not increase the risk. (4) A meta-analysis of studies involving more than 12,000 people also published in the BMJ found that calcium supplementation increases the risk of:
- Heart attack by 31 percent
- Stroke by 20 percent
- Death from all causes by 9 percent (5)
An analysis involving 12,000 men published in JAMA Internal Medicine found that intakes of over 1,000 mg of supplemental calcium per day—from multivitamins or individual supplements—were associated with a 20 percent increase in the risk of death from CVD. (6) Researchers suspect that the increase of calcium in the blood that occurs after supplementation may facilitate the calcification of arteries, whereas calcium obtained from food is absorbed at slower rates and in smaller quantities than from supplements. (7) It is also suspected that extra calcium intake above one’s requirements is not absorbed by the bones, but is excreted in the urine, increasing the risk of calcium kidney stones. The excess calcium could also be circulated in the blood, where it might attach to atherosclerotic plaques in arteries or heart valves. (8)
Cancer, Kidney Stones, and Other Health Risks
The Office of Dietary Supplements at the National Institutes of Health has compiled a comprehensive review of the health risks associated with excess calcium, particularly from supplementation. (9)
For example, daily supplementation of calcium at 1,000 mg is associated with increased prostate cancer risk and an increase in kidney stones. (10)
Additionally, a recent Swedish study reported a 40 percent higher risk of death among women with high calcium intakes (1,400 mg and above), and a 157 percent higher risk of death if those women were taking a 500-mg calcium supplement daily. Those rates were compared to women with moderate daily calcium intakes between 600 and 1,000 mg. (11) A Consumer Lab analysis found that many of the calcium supplements they analyzed failed quality testing for reasons including lead contamination and mislabeled contents. (12)
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Other Forms of Calcium Supplementation
Even if you’re not popping a calcium pill every morning, that doesn’t mean you’re not consuming supplemental calcium. Many commonly consumed foods in the United States are fortified with supplemental forms of calcium, including:
- Orange juice
- Breakfast cereals
- Non-dairy milk
- Bread
- Instant oatmeal
- Graham crackers
- Other staples of the Standard American Diet
While these foods are typically eliminated on a whole-foods or Paleo diet, it’s important to pay attention to whether some of your fridge staples, such as commercial almond, coconut, or other varieties of non-dairy milk, are fortified with calcium. You may be consuming more supplemental calcium than you realize.
In addition, many multivitamins contain high doses of cheap or inferior forms of calcium that are not well absorbed. This can lead to an accumulation of calcium in the soft tissues (where we don’t want it), which in turn contributes to the adverse effects discussed in this article.
Not all multivitamins are created equal. When I formulated Adapt Naturals Bio-Avail Multi, I included a minimal dose (50 mg) of calcium, which is only 4 percent of the total daily requirement. I also used di-calcium malate, a highly bioavailable form of calcium that is much better absorbed than calcium carbonate and other forms of calcium.
Bio-Avail Multi also contains meaningful doses of vitamins A, D, and K2, as well as magnesium. Each of these nutrients plays critical roles in calcium metabolism and bone health and may be even more important for improving bone health than increasing calcium intake—at least for some people.
Vitamin E is another important nutrient for bone health—but here, I’m referring to delta- and gamma-tocotrienols, a newly discovered form of vitamin E, rather than alpha-tocopherol, the more common form that is in most supplements. Tocotrienols have several positive effects on bone health: they decrease bone resorption, increase bone turnover rate, and improve osteoblast number, bone formation, mineral deposition, and bone microarchitecture. Adapt Naturals Bio-Avail E+ contains 300 mg of delta- and gamma-tocotrienols (with no tocopherols), sourced from the annatto plant. Taken together with Bio-Avail Multi, you can have confidence that you’re getting the nutrients you need for optimal bone health.
The Safest Ways to Get Enough Calcium
If you’re concerned about keeping your bones healthy, you’re better off getting your calcium from food sources like:
- Dairy products
- Canned, bone-in fish (e.g., sardines, salmon, etc.)
- Dark, leafy greens
- Seeds (especially poppy and sesame)
- Almonds
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium for adult men and women is 1,000 mg—or approximately three servings of dairy products or bone-in fish per day. Pregnant and lactating women, and adults 70 and older, need 1,200 mg per day.
It’s critical to understand that healthy bone formation also depends on other nutrients like vitamins A, D, and K2, and minerals like magnesium and silica, each of which plays a role in regulating calcium metabolism. Some research suggests that consuming optimal levels of these nutrients may reduce the amount of calcium you need each day, due to their synergistic effects. Regular weight-bearing exercise can also make a big difference for maintaining healthy bones. (13)
I am 55 years old have osteoporosis. Currently taking prescription vitamin d and prolia injections twice a year calcium levels are low was told to start back on calcium pills. What do you recommend cause calcium pills cause so much constipation. Now I’m told it cause heart problems. What is your recommendation
I believe he would recommend the things he mentions in his article: 1) eating sardines (a rich source of calcium if it contains bones); 2) eating salmon (a good source); and 3) cooking with bone broth, a rich source of many minerals.
The main thing I took from the article is that if you get your calcium from dietary sources like these (or from dairy, if you can eat dairy), you can get all the calcium the body needs, without needing to take supplements.
BTW, if you’re taking vitamin D3 as a supplement, it’s often recommended that you take the kind that has MK7, if your purpose is bone health.
Hi we think my 3 year old may have developed an intolerance to cow’s milk so while we wait to see a specialist we’ve put her on organic soya. A little twitchy about that from what I’ve heard about how it may affect hormones but for the moment we’ll keep her on it. I’ve recently found an organic soya milk by Provamel with added ‘algae Lithothamnium Calcareum’ for calcium. I know nothing about this. What are your thoughts? She’s not a great eater so I felt she did need added calcium. I’m from England by the way. ☺
my daughter (now 30) would not drink any milk and had very little cheese, no broken bones tried to get her to eat other sources- i say this because Soya milk is rather bad as a quick internet search will show. probably better with no milk
Raw Camel Milk is the best –next to Mother’s milk–(so I’ve heard). Next up is RAW goat milk. Homogenization and Pasteurization changes the molecular structure to where the body can’t absorb calcium from it anyway. RAW milk is by far the best. You can MAYBE find a goat farm near you or you can order the camel milk here: https://desertfarms.com/
Doesn’t goats milk have lactose?
If lactose is the issue, try taking lactase supplements with the milk (from whatever animal). (ALL milk from all types of mammals has lactose.)
Ugh… soy milk is very high in phytoestrogens and should not be given to children. Try goat’s milk, sheep milk or camel milk instead.
Soy is GMO. You might want to rethink this.
Hi,
I’m 19. I have been experiencing leg and pack pain very often especially when I walk or stand for even 15 minutes. Can I take calcium supplements to make my bones stronger?
You might be better off with Vit D and Vit K2.
MSM. Best thing for any muscle pain!
While calcium is important for bone density, if you don’t have the proper forms or other components like magnesium, boron, Vitamin D3 in particular for assimilation in the body to put calcium where it belongs you can exacerbate the problem which can lead to a build up of calcium where it can be problematic, such as hardening of the arteries, joint and muscle pain, agitation, etc. Determine how much calcium you’re getting in your daily diet and adjust it accordingly; most people receive more than they need. Regarding your leg and back pain, getting enough magnesium will probably help to relieve the problem. Magnesium is a natural relaxer, whereas calcium contracts. When we leaned on an increase of magnesium in our diet we experienced a more calming effect unlike when we upped our calcium intake that often increased tension, stress levels. Balance is key.
§ (Magnesium forms that are more readily absorbed: Chelated magnesium, Magnesium taurate, chloride, glycinate, orotate, malate, L-Threonate or magnesium oil (a solution of magnesium chloride & water that can be sprayed or rubbed on the body).
§ Magnesium taurate, glycinate, and orotate forms have less laxative effects than citrate.) (Book: The Magnesium Miracle – Dr. Carolyn Dean) http://drcarolyndean.com/magnesium_miracle/
Forms of Magnesium to avoid: glutamate – neurotoxin related to aspartame; aspartate – neurotoxin same as previous; oxide
My serum calcium is 8.6. Normal range is 9.0- 10.2. Mine is considered very low. But if I take calcium, my bones actually hurt. What would you suggest?
If it was me, I’d take the cofactors necessary for the Calcium to be properly absorbed and assimilated – starting with Vitamin D, K-2 and Magnesium. You can look around for supplements that contain these 3 things – plus a few others, too.
Serum is unreliable. There is a test called Intracellular. Blood is not a good choice to find out what’s happening with minerals. It’s the cells. this test has you scrape cells from under your tongue and tells you what is actually being used and stored by the cells and the ratios.
Chris, what about fish bone supplements such as kalsio (http://www.technyflex.com.au/products/kalsio-humans/). I believe it is a whole food supplement i.e. it is fish bone. Would you avoid these supplements aswell?
What would be your for somebody who is deficient in calcium but cannot get it through diet or due to disability e.g. they live alone and cannot source or cook bones to make them soft?
Thanks
I’m 52 years old and my mother suffers from osteoporosis. I would like more info on how to prevent it maintaining a low fat low calorie diet as I am 15 pounds over weight
Maria, Low fat diets are not going to help lose weight. Too many people still falsely believe that is how to lose weight. THE “RIGHT KIND OF FATS” ARE NECESSARY FOR MAINTAINING ENERGY AND ACTUALLY WORKS TO SPEED METABOLISM. MANY HORMONAL PROCESSES REQUIRES HEALTHY FATS IN THE DIET. THIS LOW FAT DIET MANTRA BS HAS BEEN PERPETUATED FOR DECADES AND GUESS WHAT ? THERE’S MORE OBESITY IN OUR COUNTRY THAN EVER BEFORE. YOU NEED TO LOOK INFO UP ON PALEO DIETS. GET AWAY FROM HIGHLY PROCESSED FOODS. ALSO CRITICAL : EXERCISING AND THE “RIGHT” TYPE. STAY AWAY FROM THAT CARDIO (CRAP).
LINK TO DR. MERCOLA ABOUT CALICUM AND OSTEOPOROSIS LINK:http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/05/23/Can-Calcium-Actually-Make-Your-Bones-Weaker.aspx
I’VE ADDED A LINK TO DR. MERCOLA AND A SPECIFIC ARTICLE REGARDING
I hope this will help…
Boron. PLEASE research it. Read all of it that you can. Countries that have the least arthritis have gobs of boron in their soil. This is from a man that spent years trying to figure this out. It is NOT about calcium. It’s about boron. Dr. Newham is who you want to read. Read his story, an MD btw and rejoice.
P.S. He is from Australia and is also a soil scientist and plant scientist. What he found will astonish you about arthritis.
Right on!
Dr mercola.com is NOT a credible information source.
Why?
Not all people are suited to a high fat diet. Not all of us can benefit. I am not saying a low- or no-fat diet is a good thing for everyone, only that the high fat diets promoted by paleo eaters, Dr. Mercola, etc. are not right for everyone, either. We are all unique.
Eating gobs and gobs of coconut fat is not “traditional” and even if it was, it was consumed by Pacific Islanders, not world-wide. We have to eat according to our ethnic origins (plus or minus common sense changes and individuial desires).
That idea has its’ merits, but really when you think about the vast majority of people now we are so……tan. Meaning, for instance I am 4 ancestral diets. Irish, Danish, Mexican, German. Now just which one of those should I do? I am on the paleo diet tho I don’t consume coconut oil, the new kid on the block. Just like how everyone got so carried away with tofu and lo and behold turned out not so good after all. I eat pretty much what the real ancestors ate. You know the cave folks. Humans have only been eating grains for a few thousand years, but have been eating paleo sans cocoanut which is the only one you added for millions of years, but all the animal fats are very well tolerated by all cultures and backgrounds. I’m not sure even the cultures that have tons of coconut trees eat all that much of it.
Eat whatever you like; but I wouldn’t tell people that there’s only one best diet based on what was eaten (supposedly) a million years ago. The reality is that we may have been consuming grains only 10,000 years (though some say otherwise, but I don’t really know) – and most of us, except for aboriginals, have adapted to it. More reality: there’s more to health than relying on diet for some sort of perfect state of health. Ain’t gonna happen, I don’t think.
If a person wants to eat the way some scientists think that cavemen ate, he or she better be prepared to follow the whole lifestyle. No central heating, chasing after your food, gutting it yourself, eating it raw, ghastly living conditions all around. A rough, rough life.
I know of a fellow, Darko Velcek (he has a website) who says the healthiest way to eat is everything raw, including red meat. No grains/legumes, etc. So, go for it.
Too bad so many people are so “tan”, as you say. There’s all kinds of reasons for light skinned folk to not mix with the darker races, and an inability to find out what’s best for you is certainly one of them.
I do love these conversations! Cuz if you really want to eat your ancestral diet then possibly a bacteria diet is the way to go as our true ancestors are bacteria, right? Wonder what they ate on Mars or in space before they arrived here on a chunk of something. After all by weight and volume even now there’s more bacteria still living in and on us than our own DNA. I like to think of it as bacteria designed a way to form up into bodies and move around! lol
@Edy. I love your funny comments on how eating our “ancestral” diet of bacteria might be the way to go. Hee hee. You made my day.
Um coconut oil is paleo and probably the best oil on the planet. It’s stable at high heat with low oxidation. Furthermore it’s anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal which makes it a superior candidate for cooking, eating and nutritional benefits. We’ve gone to almost exclusive use of coconut oil with occasional use of extra virgin olive oil and wouldn’t change a thing.
Edy, consider yourself lucky, as you can actually eat all 4 diets, as oppose to someone who’s ancestry (parents with the same background) goes back many generation and thus limited to their diet.
@Dan. You were replyng to Edy, whose background is multiethnic. It does not follow that she can actually eat all four of her ancestors’ diets, if you do not mind my saying so. It depends on which genes predominate in her makeup. If her ancestors were all of one ethnic group going back millennia, then at least she could start to figure out the appropriate diet for her.
However, things are never that simple even in that case, either, because over the past few generations we have become all of us mightily poisoned with chemicals – and I suspect this throws everything off for all of us.
Fat does not cause weight gain. Carbs do. Research this. Your brain is 80% fat, you NEED it, the right kinds. You don’t need the carbs. Or sugar. Doesn’t do any good. Sorry don’t think coconut oil is the answer. Our ancestrial diet is animal fat pure and simple. Are you a Polonesian? In that case good, but if not then animal fats are your best source.
I also wanted to point out that if I have a 1% chance of having a heart attack and then someone decided that as a result of eating chocolate covered raisins for 11 years people like me then had a 2.39% chance, that would qualify as a 139% increase in my risk.
This is a technique that drug companies often use to justify efficacy of their drugs that often are not really any better than placebo. The numbers in those studies aren’t really impressive at all. If supplementing 1000 mg of calcium were dangerous I would expect a massive increase in heart attacks rates in all westernized countries in all age groups. Calcium fortification should be deadly regardless of age.
You have to sternly question any study that never even had the design potential to do anything other than to cause confusion. None of those studies was ever going to prove anything. I think most studies are just busy work because researchers are always studying something. Just like political pundits have no choice but to “say” something all day, researchers have to “study” something all day. Frequently, I think they are equally useful to humanity as a whole.
Assigning heart attack cause to calcium is like assigning cause to cholesterol. It sounds plausible but the truth is really much more complicated and interactive than we can ever understand. Decreasing cholesterol and calcium intake does absolutely nothing to help atherosclerosis. Both substances are actually vital for health. In the case of atherosclerosis, they are being actively used by your body to temporarily save your life. If they were the cause, that would be terrible because they are also the short-term solution to whatever the real problem is.
Yes, we need plenty of highly absorbable Calcium. I think it is incorrect to focus so much on Magnesium as is being done nowadays by health advisors – to the exclusion of Calcium. I did this – not taking an excessive amount of Magnesium, but I was not taking any Calcium at all. Now, when I take Calcium, I can tell the difference. The problem, as you know, is (1) taking the wrong kind of Ca; and (2) taking too much and (3) not taking Vitamin D.
Hi Chris. There is no way to know what other lifestyle choices the participants in the studies that you cite were engaged in. Think about the paradox here. In order to know the long term effects of calcium supplementation you would have to isolate those effects from all other food/supplement/lifestyle interactions. Without knowing how much A,D,K,Mag, etc.. they were getting, you can’t apply any sort of reproducible science. It should be obvious that supplementing with calcium ONLY will have deleterious long term effects, if for no other reason than by displacing other minerals and depleting vital co-factors. Try adding just calcium to a salt water aquarium everyday. Everything dies.
“those who used calcium supplements had a 139% greater risk of heart attack during the 11-year study period”
Does that mean that process beginning with atherosclerosis formation through heart attack occurred in those 11 years? Didn’t those people most likely have calcification before the study started?
I had the unfortunate experience of having a Mg drip going into to me too quickly in the hospital. It felt like my whole body was on fire. As soon as the drip was stopped, the negative effects also stopped. This showed me just how quickly and efficiently the healthy kidneys filter out excess electrolytes in the blood. It’s remarkable actually.
Health problems related to electrolytes are the result of stark deficiency and/or hormonal problems that upset their regulatory balance. Hyperparathyroidism for instance causes sustained elevations in blood calcium and provably leads to tissue calcification. I don’t believe there is any real evidence that reasonable calcium supplementation with healthy kidneys and available supporting nutrients causes systemic harm.
Sorry this went so long.
I like your ideas, they make sense. It boils down to “look at the whole picture”. The devil’s in the details. Seems everybody and his dog has an agenda (which affects other people’s health).
I recently had a bone scan, which shows bone losss. I’m age 61. My GYN has asked me to increase my calcium to 1500 and Vitamin D to 1000iu. I currently take a calcium 1000mg w/ vit D 400 and magnesium 500mg. I’m concerned at increasing the calcium. I know it doesn’t absorb into the body, where does it go? I asked my GYN about continuing to take the magnesium and they told me I didn’t need to take it. I’ve been doing my own research and am totally confused right now. I know the GYN is just going by the book on the calcium/Vit D increase. I do work out with weights and walk occasionally. So I’m going to start increasing both of these, especially the weight training. I’m just confused about the calcium intake.
To me what your GYN recommended is medical malpractice. What an outrage! Your concern over increasing the calcium is valid. If it doesn’t get into your bones it can collect in your blood stream, joints and the like which can lead to hardening of arteries, arthritis, etc. Does your body need calcium? Sure, but one receives a considerable amount in your daily diet. Not only does one need calcium for bones but magnesium, Vitamin D, K-2 and Boron as the latter elements help to put calcium where it belongs and not to the point it causes more harm than good, which in my opinion is what your GYN has prescribed. Several years ago my wife was diagnosed with osteopenia and basically told to get used to it as it will likely degenerate into osteoporosis. My wife chose to fight that diagnosis and has ‘reversed’ those scan numbers from ‘negative’ into ‘positive’; thus reversing the osteopenia through proper supplementation and weight training. So much for those practicing medicine. The body is remarkably restorative if we provide it what it needs.
My wife and I assessed our calcium intake and found we received plenty of calcium in our diet but not enough magnesium. We chose to eliminate calcium supplementation since we get enough in our food but chose to greatly increase our magnesium ‘supplementation’ intake with great results; less stress, better sleep, focus, injury recovery, energy, etc. We flipped the FDA’s 2:1 recommendation of calcium-magnesium on its ear and try to at least be 1:1 or even 1:2.
From your explanation of your conditions, you may want to look in the direction of magnesium deficiency. I’m not a doctor but Dr. Carolyn Dean, ND, MD who wrote the book “The Magnesium Miracle” has extensively researched the marvels of this mineral and my wife and I have reaped the health benefits of following a more 1:1 ratio of Calcium-Magnesium rather than an often recommended 2:1 ratio intake.
To quote Dr. Dean in an article ‘Magnesium is Crucial for Bones’ “The effectiveness and benefits of calcium in preventing and treating osteoporosis are enormously impaired in the absence of adequate levels of magnesium. Magnesium keeps calcium dissolved in the blood. Too much calcium along with too little magnesium can cause some forms of arthritis, kidney stones, osteoporosis and calcification of the arteries, leading to heart attack and cardiovascular disease.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-dean-md-nd/bone-health_b_1540931.html
Another good article ‘Calcified with Calcium & Vitamin D’ http://drcarolyndean.com/2014/06/too-much-calcium-and-vitamin-d/
Additionally, magnesium is a natural relaxer, whereas calcium contracts. When we leaned on an increase of magnesium in our diet we experienced a more calming effect unlike when we upped our calcium intake that often increased tension, stress levels. Balance is key.
I, too was told by my ND to take more calcium. Which I won’t do. I’m sure I get enough in my diet. However, I have many health issues osteoperosis being one of them. Unfortunately I also have a heart arrhythmia and Mg worsens it. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Magnesium worsens your heart arrhythmia? That’s surprising. Magnesium is vital for over 300 enzymatic functions in the body, so I’m wondering if there are some other factors responsible; perhaps electrolyte and other mineral imbalances. It could also be that you were taking a form of Magnesium that is poorly assimilated. The following forms are those we’ve gleaned from the natural health field for absorption, laxative effects and even neurotoxin responses.
§ (Magnesium forms that are more readily absorbed: Chelated magnesium, Magnesium taurate, chloride, glycinate, orotate, malate, L-Threonate or magnesium oil (a solution of magnesium chloride & water that can be sprayed or rubbed on the body). Applying Magnesium oil is a great way to administer it directly to the area you’re experiencing joint or muscle pain as in arthritis, etc. I wish I knew about this years ago.
§ Magnesium taurate, glycinate, and orotate forms have less laxative effects than citrate.) (Book: The Magnesium Miracle – Dr. Carolyn Dean) http://drcarolyndean.com/magnesium_miracle/
Forms of Magnesium to avoid: glutamate – neurotoxin related to aspartame; aspartate – neurotoxin same as previous; oxide
Dr. Carolyn Dean M.D., N.D. who wrote the Magnesium Miracle, recently authored another book: “Atrial Fibrillation : Remineralize Your Heart” http://drcarolyndean.com/natural-health-books-by-dr-dean/
My wife has/had AFib but hasn’t had any episodes for many years since she changed her diet to eliminate calcium supplementation, as she gets more than enough in foods she eats, and increased intake of minerals, magnesium, Vitamin C, D3, K2 and boron in particular. She also eats more alkaline foods because if your body has too much acid or toxins to process, minerals, including calcium, are leached from bones as your body tries to balance the pH. Other important building blocks for bone are in foods containing Silicon, Manganese, Copper, Folic acid, Vitamin B6, Zinc, Beta Carotene, and Isoflavones. Bones are mostly collagen. Reading that your ND recommended you take more calcium with your heart and osteoporosis conditions seem counterproductive and problematic. You should determine how much calcium you’re already receiving in your diet before supplementation. Personally I’d probably be looking for another ND and get a blood test to find a baseline as to whether or not you have imbalances that can addressed through diet and supplementation.
Do you also have bone spurs?
I, too get palpitations when taking Mg. I don’t take any calcium, but drink a bit of bone broth daily. Hoping that is enough Mg and calcium. Edy
Read the book”Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox”
by Kate Rheaume Bleue.How a little known vitamin can save your life.We don’t get enough of this vitamin because of industrial farming.This book will solve your problems with calcium.
I take K2 daily with D and have for years and yet I keep losing bone. What the???? My health issues are many and I am seeing Dr. Nett for them for now and I hope she can figure out what is going on! I also get an intra cellular test done every year or so and all minerals are spot on. I flummoxed.
hi
started taking mag/ 240 mg twice a day seems to help some i hope it helps me sleep better as i have problems with sleep seems to have helped with joint pain how long to start seeing results on getting beter sleep
thanks for info
If calcium carbonate is unnatural, harmful and absorbed weakly why are eggshells that have calcium carbonate listed as a natural calcium source?
I do not understand how taking 500mg ca inceases risk 157% while(600-1000)mg is safer.Is there a printing mistake?
The 500mg comment is referring to taking a supplement, while the 600-1000mg one is talking about dietary calcium intake… You probably would not be eating your full daily dietary recommendation at one time.
I’m in sync with many of the comments here. I might sum up the issue this way:
– Chris, please be cautious in making absolute claims, especially as I think you’d agree with the bulk of the comments below.
1) People should always assess their vitamin/mineral needs before beginning supplementation–such as by lab test or estimating dietary intake.
2) The studies warn of excess calcium supplement consumption above 1,000mg per day…and that’s generally above average recommendations especially since we hope there is some dietary intake of calcium
3) The average person is not getting 1,000mg calcium via daily dietary intake and thus should consider appropriate supplementation
4) Insufficient calcium intake can be detrimental–I went dairy-free with my child due to her needs and didn’t realize that I was taking too little calcium (300mg) and taking it at the same time as a mineral that binds to it…making both of those minerals wash out before they could get absorbed. In hindsight–low bone density resulting in fracturing the same bone 2x in 3 months and chronic muscle spasms which relieved after increasing calcium and changing with what other supplements I took it. oh, and some neuropathy for a period. Calcium is also critical for nerve function.
5) Appropriate supplementation of calcium is tricky because it is difficult for the body to absorb:
– e.g., don’t take 1,000 mg all at once; I’ve read that the body can absorb no more than 450mg at once; supplemental calcium is best spread out in the day, e.g., in the morning and just before bed
– form matters–I understand that the body better absorbs powder/capsules than tablets
– source and co-ingredients matter–some comments warn away from calcium carbonate; calcium citrate seems good; ideal combinations are calcium supplements that contain some V-D3 and magnesium to aid absorption.
– I take Lifestream from NZ due to its high absorption rate due to its source. I trust the quality of Now Foods which has decent prices.
– Some comments suggest people with issues consider whether the calcium is the solution or whether the balance of calcium and magnesium is solution for your body’s needs
Good luck to us all. There’s no black & white rule book out there, especially given our bio-individuality.
I just purchased an RO system. RO decreases the PH to about 5 to 6. In order to increase the PH of the water, they suggested an add on device that adds calcium and magnesium back into the water. Is this good, bad, or just unnecessary?
YOU MIGHT TAKE A LOOK AT “PHARMACOLOGY WATCH,” DEC.2015. ARTICLE TITLED “RETHINKING CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION” NAMES BEING AT HIGHER RISK WITH CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS FOR FOUR PROBLEMS: CONSTIPATION; CARDIOVASCULAR EVENTS; KIDNEY STONES, ADMISSION FOR ACUTE GASTROINTESTINAL SYMPTOMS.
Who is this Chris person and what are his/her education re drugs etc and the usages of various supplements. Is he/she a health professional?
You can learn all about Chris on the about page of this website:
http://chriskresser.com/about/
Read his story!
His bio says he has a Masters degree and he is an acupuncturist. He is NOT a medical doctor. Everyone here should speak with their own medical doctor before following any advice from anyone here.
I started taking bone meal and dolomite after I had my third child. I was 26. My bones hurt so bad after riding a bicycle and was still hurting after a few years. I read an article in Prevention Magazine written about a man in his 80’s that had fallen down some stairs and didn’t break any bones. He was so skinny it was hard to believe. My left wrist was so weak that it got to the point that I couldn’t use it. I started taking 3 bone meal and 3 dolemite tablets a day and in no time my wrist seemed to be healed. I quit taking the bone meal plus vitamin D and the pain came back. I have taken bone meal off and on over the years and hate taking pills so bad that I quit taking them as soon as I get better. It doesn’t take many months before I am taking them again. I am now 69 and am not sure what to do since they are saying calcium can cause heart trouble. It is hard to find a good beef tablet. Some have pork in them and I don’t eat pork. Beef bone is supposed to have lead in it is the reason it isn’t recommended I guess. I have taken 8 and more tablets a day when I get to the point I have trouble walking. I would like to know more about the veal tablets that someone on here recommended. I guess the younger the cow, the less likely it would have so much lead. So far, bonemeal tablets have done nothing but help me. I fell on my bottom about 4 weeks ago and it hurt pretty bad for about 3 weeks but I didn’t break anything. It also seems to help the pain in my lower back.
Taking calcium supplements does not cause heart problems. This is a fallacy.
Just like everything else, do not over do it. Everything in moderation.
I asked my doctor about calcium supplements to help with my osteoporosis and asked him about the dangers of calcium building up in the arteries. He said this may be true if you take 5000 to 10000 mg of calcium over a period of time, but taking 750 to 1000 mg daily will have no adverse affects on your heart. Some people cannot tolerate too much calcium as it sometimes causes constipation which is why you should take a calcium supplement that also contains magnesium.
Your best bet is to talk with your doctor about taking calcium and not depend on an internet web site to make important decisions for you, especially a .com website.
Correction: “5000 to 10,000mg of calcium PER DAY”
I don’t trust most doctors knowledge bout this as far as I can throw them. Even my ND suggested calcium supplementation which I had already read wasn’t a good thing. They weren’t taught about any nutrition in Med School, that includes diet, supplementation, etc. I don’t take any mineral supplements except Mg. I also get an intracellular mineral test once a year and mine are spot on including the rather important ratios. I also make bone broth with organic bones, no lead, and sometimes use chicken feet, egg shells and chicken bones as well in the broth. ALL organic.
How do they do the intracellular test? I’m interested in having that done too.
You can get the Intracellular test at Intracellular Diagnostics Inc. 541-245-3212 or go the website. It does require a docs referral. It’s called the EXA TEST.
Yes! to bone broth with egg shells added, as well as chicken feet! I keep a jar of a shell mixture I have found useful and add a few tablespoons to the pot when making bone broth. The mix: In a blender, pulverize the rinsed and air-dried egg shells you have saved up and add enough apple cider vinegar (mother in the bottle) to cover. Keep this mixture in a jar ready to add to the bones, etc., when you start your bone broth.
The vinegar breaks down the egg shells further and makes their minerals and those of the bones more available in the broth.
The pulverized shells can still leave a bit of graininess settled in the broth after cooling. If you don’t want that, strain the broth through a fine cheesecloth and discard the small grains left of the shells. Important to use all organic ingredients.
Why waste valuable bio-available ingredients that are yours for the taking by throwing away the eggshells that hens spend their energy making for your use? 🙂
Bob you truly believe your conventional Dr. They only do what they were taught in Medical School. I am a nurse and challenge you to do your own research.. Follow Pub Med research to read legitimate studies. By the way the 2012 study 100% most certainly showed an increase in heart attacks with calcium. Try looking up vit k 2 if you want a good supplement. Bet your Dr has no clue about that one and probably thinks it has the same benefits as Vit K 1 . They are totally different. Happy New Year!
Most Dr’s don’t have much knowledge about nutrition or supplements. They have no formal training in that area. You can find out more on your own doing research on the Internet. There have been many studies done showing that calcium raises the chance of heart attack. I’ve started taking a plant based calcium supplement, that has D3, K2, and magnesium in it.
My g.p. actually confessed to being a specialist in colds and flu!.Jack of all trades master of none were his words. I have decided to look after my own general health with study and more study. I go to him for a blood test referral and thats all. This g.p had no idea what adrenals were..has no idea about hashimotos. ..he said anything past cold and flu would be a specialists job. Its hard to find a g.p who actually knows that much. I have tried many ..got sick of trying and believe we know our own bodies more than anyone and for general health we can do it without a g.p except for blood tests. Ok this nothing to do with calcium specifically but if you have access to a computer do the study its not hard to work out for yourself .
Be careful talking to average Joe doctors. They have no or very little nutritional training and depend upon conventional practice to form the majority of how they treat patients and understand disease.
For instance, calcium interacts with other nutrients, so we know that your magnesium needs to be balanced with calcium (I believe higher manesium to calcium ratio) and vitamin d plays a part too. You would not want to supplement with any of these things without making sure they are all balanced appropriately. I am sure there are many more interactions we just don’t know about yet.
So the point is that in foods, these nutrients are often balanced, however, we also get supplemental forms FROM foods that are fortified. So unless your doctor has had you do a food journal and knows what you’re eating, he or she can’t and shouldn’t recommend any supplement – even if they test you for a deficiency, because often times upping the nutrient you are deficient in won’t work to treat whatever is causing the deficiency.
You don’t want a piece meal approach to your healthcare. For instance, my mother in law had low vitamin d levels, so her doc was giving her massive injections of the stuff and her levels still would not go up. She is overweight, doesn’t eat healthy, and barely moves. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to say, “Hey, your biggest problem is health and diet – lets tackle those issues and then retest your nutrient levels and see what we’re dealing with.” She also knows she has food sensitivities to wheat but still eats it – how can your body absorb vitamins and minerals if you have destroyed your intestinal lining?
Anyway, get off the junk food, people! Eat whole, healthy foods, fermented foods, and raw foods. Purchase organic and local foods (or grow your own), get sunshine, clean water, and exercise. These things alone will do wonders (and for heaven’s sake, stop eating foods that your body gets sick from!) and if you have addressed those areas and still feel in poor health, THEN address deficiencies. If your doc suggests anything different, it’s either that he has no idea what he is doing or that he perceives you, as the patient, to be unwilling to make lifestyle changes, so he is giving you the lazy person solution, but it’s not really a solution because it may not work for its intended pirpose AND may have negative consequences.
You’re so right!
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis after being prescribed too much thyroxine after having a partial thyroidectomy. I ordered what seemed to be a wonderful product for bone building. 2 years later I had a spontaneous coronary artery dissection which caused me to have a heart attack. I was 52 with low blood pressure and perfect cholesterol levels. The first thing my cardiologist asked me was how much calcium I was taking (1000 mg/day). He told me to stop immediately. This was so scary but I still worry about my osteoporosis and know that bone broth and leafy greens help but how much of this can you do? Also I have just read the paleo diet and am truly bewildered about the amount of meat (including bacon, what about nitrates?) that it recommends. I love meat but its production is taking a huge toll on our planet.
Calcium processing in body appears complex, and one cannot simply supplement it with calcium pills.
As mentioned in various posts above, in some people, the issue seems to be lack of vitamin K2 and vitamin D. In very simple terms, vitamin D is necessary for intercellular calcium transport, whereas vitamin K is needed for fixing the calcium in proper locations.
In trying to compensate for calcium issues, one has to carefully balance the ratio of intake of calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K.
I take a plant calcium supplement called, Garden of Life Organic Plant Calcium. There are also other brands. Something to consider, since it is supposed to be a better form of calcium.
I beg to differ. It really depends on the person. I was hospitalised as an inpatient with severe heart arrythmias and muscle weakness after being prescribed calcium carbonate and vitamin D3 supplements for hypocalcemia. Despite all these symptoms, my blood calcium levels remained low. I was told to stop taking the supplements and recovered. After that I only got calcium from green leafy vegetables and primarily increased vitamin D intake as that can raise calcium as well as did weight bearing exercise. Relaxation and getting enough sleep was also vital as I had previously had a parathyroid problem that made my calcium metabolism go haywire.
I later found out there was research that it can cause arrythmias in women of a certain age around their time of the month, just as I experienced. One thing I’ve learned is that doctors are taught very little about calcium and vitamin D at medical school. Calcium carbonate is not a very bio-available form of calcium compared to some others, and also caused stomach aches since it lowers stomach acidity (it’s the main ingredient in many antacids).
vitamin D is supposed to be the one you body can help create pain if you are deficient. If you are getting enough calcium wiht the other minerals needed to use it maybe just the D is in order. I’d get some blood work done to see if you have any deficiencies. PS: Looks like if you take calcium in small doses more times per day that is OK. avoid the 500mg + pills or cut them up. also note other foods high in calcium http://nutritiondata.self.com/foods-011118000000000000000-2w.html
A blood test isn’t a reliable result of what’s going on in your cells. I would suggest an Intracellular test. Easy. Scrape cells from under your tongue, send to the lab and it will tell you exactly what minerals are in your cells. If you’re not absorbing them and they’re just floating around in the blood then what’s the good?
Urgent: May I know at which doctor did you do your intracellular mineral test?
Thanks.
Intracellular is the name of the lab and not the type of test, tho that’s exactly what it does. It does need to be ordered by a doc, but if you have one as open as mine will he/she do this for you. The cost is negligible, it’s gone up over the years, I think it’s about 150 bucks now. Their phone number is 541-245-3212. IntraCellular Diagnostics Inc. in Portland OR. Your doc will have to call and set up an account.
Mona pay no attention to Bob’s recommendation of calcium as you may as well experience cardiac arrest if you did. Calcium ‘contracts’ and it could very well lead to heart disease as it needs proper balanced assimilation and that happens in conjunction with Magnesium, natures ‘calcium channel blocker’ as magnesium is a natural anti-inflammatory and without it, you could experience a heart attack. As for calcium intake, even the FDA only recommends 1,200mg; better yet review your daily intake from food before supplementation. I was getting far more calcium in my diet than was necessary and stopped supplementing with it altogether and am better off health wise for it but it depends upon each persons needs.
From your explanation of your conditions, you may want to look in the direction of magnesium deficiency. I’m not a doctor but Dr. Carolyn Dean, ND, MD who wrote the book “The Magnesium Miracle” has extensively researched the marvels of this mineral and my wife and I have reaped the health benefits of following a more 1:1 ratio of Calcium-Magnesium rather than an often recommended 2:1 ratio intake.
To quote Dr. Dean in an article ‘Magnesium is Crucial for Bones’ “The effectiveness and benefits of calcium in preventing and treating osteoporosis are enormously impaired in the absence of adequate levels of magnesium. Magnesium keeps calcium dissolved in the blood. Too much calcium along with too little magnesium can cause some forms of arthritis, kidney stones, osteoporosis and calcification of the arteries, leading to heart attack and cardiovascular disease.” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-dean-md-nd/bone-health_b_1540931.html
Another good article ‘Calcified with Calcium & Vitamin D’ http://drcarolyndean.com/2014/06/too-much-calcium-and-vitamin-d/
To your health!
There is a possible link between calcium supplements and an increased risk of heart disease. The theory is that the calcium in the supplements may actually make its way into the fatty plaques that are found in your arteries which cause the plaques to harden and increase your risk of heart attack.
Gut health is (not surprisingly) important with calcium too. These two studies found that calcium absorption increases with prebiotics
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23507173
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/11110850
Great another helpful find ! I think from now on before I decide to include something I ( think ) I maybe lacking – I will sure to look here first . I had to stop dairy due to allergies and started getting Bad leg cramps and dry itchier skin YUK lol
Almost bought some supplements 🙁 Yeah Everywhere I look I read Eat more leafy greens !! If your allergic to most criciferouse veg. I know I spelled that wrong . Your out in the cold and bone broth just isn’t my thing. I’ll just toss some low carb veg’s in it and deal with it ……. Thanks Chris 🙂
Do not listen to this bull from Chris. Check with your doctor like I did. I have osteoporosis and have to take calcium supplements along with Vit D. I mentioned to my doctor about taking too much calcium that may cause it to collect in the blood stream and could cause a heart attack. He laughed at me and asked me where I read that bull. Calcium is stored in the bone not in blood stream. Any excess calcium is excreted through your intestines and urine. Calcium is absorbed by your bones and cannot cause heart attacks. People with osteoporosis are advised to take at least 1000 mg of calcium a day, some doctors prefer you take 1500. Be careful what you read on the internet from non medical people. Check with your doctor on all health issues.
Bob, I’m glad you responded to this post. My Dr. is not happy that I’m doing low carb, she’s old school .To tell you the truth , she just doesn’t look healthy at all. Don’t get me wrong I’ve seen plenty that seem to be happy and vibrant.
There’s things I have asked her over the years about my health and she said I was wrong . For instants my legs started swelling , she said I had fluid build up. Put me on a water pill. So I went home and looked up all my med. high blood pressure med’s side affects , because she had changed me to a different brand. Low and behold that was a side affect. All she said was “Oh I didn’t think about that, (but) it only happens to some people .
I’ve been on Protonix for Gerd 2 years and just found out that it depletes nutrients , or blocks them from your system -which she never told me either. so I don’t have a lot of faith in her if you know what I mean .
Anyway I will look further into this before , I decide . I know though the years most of my Dr’s where pill pushers . I prefer to find the reason behind the problem , not cover it with Pills !!
hi diana, i would like us to communicate i am very much interested in your comment and the fact that you have been on gerd medications for about 2 years
Hi all,
I have heard over and over again that gerd is not a NOT too much stomach acid, but not enough. Your food is not being broken down and digested, but sits there for hours and then shoots back up the esophagus. I hope Chris comments on this!
My husband was very sick with heart disease, he was put on a station drug. He was tortured with leg cramps waking him and this progressed to his arms then his torso.
I would put hot wet towels to help him. We told the prestigious Dr. From a great teaching hospital and he said he didn’t know what was causing this and advised drinking soda with quinine.
We learned that the side effects of statins can be serious causing these terrible cramps.
When it happened one could see the twisting and lumps under the skin. I’ll never forget this.
Maris,
My hubby has terrible leg cramps and he drinks pickle juice & it helps. I guess it’s the vinegar. He buys it at Academy.
For those who have nocturnal leg cramps, I have finally found the solution through experimentation and a lot of research. No doctor could help me.
Take 150 mg. Magnesium twice a day along with 100 mg. Potassium (I take them early afternoon and before bedtime, so each dosage is approx. 12 hours apart). Don’t take any more than 150 mg. of Magnesium at one time, or you may have diarrhea. If i’ve been golfing in the hot sun or working out, I also take an Electrolyte supplement (follow instructions) – the best one I have found is a powder I mix in my thermos which I carry with me while working out or golfing “Vega Sport Electrolyte Hydrator” or you can make your own (just Google for home-made electrolyte drinks). Before bedtime, I also do simple leg stretches, for the calf muscle in particular.
I am a 69-year old female who is very active, but have had Atrial Fibrillation for 20 years now and am on Warfarin. The AFib stimulates the kidneys so it’s like I’ve been on a diuretic all these years, so I believe this alone is causing the loss of important electrolytes in my system, which can lead to the cramping.
Another good reason to take Magnesium: it relaxes the muscles and the whole body, and after taking it for about 3 weeks, you will notice that you will be sleeping like a baby!
Good luck with this!
las
The leg cramps are caused by the statins because they block the production of CoQ10. My husband takes a statin drug but also supplements with CoQ10. He did not have any issues with muscle spasms until he went off of CoQ10 for a month. Then he had some muscle cramping attacks. Back on the supplements, no more muscle spasms. Here’s a paragraph from an article on statins and the role of CoQ10:
Those who are taking statins to lower cholesterol are at particular risk for deficiency, because not only do statins reduce cholesterol levels, but they also block CoQ10 synthesis in the body. Low CoQ10 levels in patients on statins can contribute to the common side effects of statin therapy such as fatigue and aching joints and muscles.
Actually it is not bull that calcium can get stored in the arteries. It is well established that it does. The proof is easy to get by your doctor from any radiology department in the world. A number of CT scans that i have seen done on patients show white deposits of calcium in the Aorta and in the heart and some other vessels in the body. For your own proof cut and paste this. “ct images calcium deposits in the aorta” in google images. All those images with bright white covering some or all aorta is calcium. If your doc still denies this after see the proof. You might want to think about switching your doctor.
You may be right, but you forgot one obvious thing, this does not happen to everyone who takes calcium for osteoporosis. I personally take 750 mg of calcium with Vit D for osteoporosis 4 days a week only, my doctor wants me to take 1500 mg daily. I think that is overkill since I also get calcium in the foods I eat. The only way to tell if calcium is building up in your arteries is with a coronary calcium scan. High cholesterol leads to calcium build up also. Get your LDL’s and Triglycerides under control and less chance you will have of calcium building up in your arteries. Smoking and alcohol abuse also contribute to calcium build up. If you lead a healthy life style, taking calcium supplements in moderation for osteoporosis should not affect in any way your chances for a heart attack.
Yes, that is why calcium should be taken with vitamin K which will stop the calcium from depositing in the arteries.
Bones need other nutrients as well such as phosphorous.
You are right about vitamin K, but you should note that Vitamin K1 and Vitamin K2 are NOT the same. Vitamin K1 is for blood to clot and Vitamin K2 is needed to guide the calcium from the arteries to the bones. If you are short of Vitamin K2, the calcium will stay in the arteries, where it starts to make a kind of bone.
hi i use calcium as it eases my symptoms of anxiety and improves gut function. there is another thing that i have noticed about calcium , it definitely has something to do with bladder and bowel functioning. when i don’t take supplemental calcium for a long time i experience frequent urination and an urge to go to toilet , perhaps this may be related to the anxiety issues that i have but then again taking a calcium tablet 600 mg per day seems to work well for correcting all these problems. and this whole new studies regarding heart health i still believe they are far from conclusive and that individuals vary a lot with respect to their calcium metabolism and their calcium needs , no worries
What do you think of the calcium alkaline
Well Bob the ‘bs’ as you call it is coming from you and your Dr. as you are setting anybody up, including yourself for heart disease if you follow your Dr.’s advice regarding calcium. Most people get too much from their diets and they need a buffer which is Magnesium in particular otherwise the calcium builds up where it doesn’t belong; the arteries. Furthermore, without enough Magnesium, you’re exacerbating the problem of osteoporosis.
This information was shared with Mona earlier due to your dangerous recommendation that you should take a good long look at with further investigation for your own health since your doctor clearly is not properly treating your condition.
The Calcium Wars: Magnesium deficiency causes heart disease http://www.naturalnews.com/038286_magnesium_deficiency_heart_disease.html#
Magnesium Is Crucial for Bones http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carolyn-dean-md-nd/bone-health_b_1540931.html
Calcified with Calcium & Vitamin D http://drcarolyndean.com/2014/06/too-much-calcium-and-vitamin-d/
so i an older woman should not take calcium or magnesium? I do not eat we;;/ I sometimes take vit. v-12 and vit. c. what should I take? thanks
Norma,
I’m no doctor or naturopath so you should seek advice, preferably from someone that will promote good health rather than someone who will prescribe drugs that usually treat symptoms but not the root causes and end up causing more harm.
As for needing calcium and magnesium; we all need it; but a lot of it depends on our dietary intake. My wife and I assessed our intake and found we received plenty of calcium in our diet but not enough magnesium. We chose to eliminate calcium supplementation since we get enough in our food but chose to greatly increase our magnesium ‘supplementation’ intake with great results; less stress, better sleep, focus, injury recovery, energy, etc. We flipped the FDA’s 2:1 recommendation of calcium-magnesium on its ear and try to at least be 1:1 or even 1:2.
If you can, please read Dr. Carolyn Dean’s book, The Magnesium Miracle and even sign up for newsletters at the Nutritional Magnesium Association: http://www.nutritionalmagnesium.org/
From their research and others that promote a more natural approach, you should find help for your particular concerns.
I intended not to be nasty here and I won’t be.
The calcium I take has magnesium in it. Each tablet contains 250mg of calcium and 125mg of magnesium, plus 100 units of vitamin D3.
If you are going to take a calcium supplement this is what you need. Make sure it has magnesium in the pill or capsule. They make this way so to be sure you get the magnesium along with the calcium. Plus you get a little D3 with it.
Don’t over do it. 3 of these tablets a day is more than enough, even 2 would suffice if you are eating food rich in calcium and magnesium.
Don’t believe these people who say calcium supplements w/magnesium are not good for osteoporosis. They are safe to take as long as you don’t over do it.
The main reason the put magnesium in calcium supplements is to prevent constipation. Magnesium has a laxative effective on the majority of people. So the magnesium offsets the constipating effects of calcium.
In all likelihood, you’re already receiving more than enough calcium in your diet; most people are but what people are shy of, is magnesium as it’s a key factor in ‘absorption’ and ‘assimilation’ of calcium to where it belongs and not accumulating in the joints leading to arthritis and in arteries where it can lead to hardening of the arteries and yes, a heart attack. You can make light of the issue and bow down to your doctor who laughed when you brought it up as a potential concern but it’s your health you need to look out for and traditional medicine doctors do not receive training on treating symptoms and causes of maladies naturally but promote pharmaceutical means which tend to cause more problems and almost never get at the root cause. Your doctor may be concerned for your health but they’re only going to go with what they know and what they are told to promote and it’s not to prescribe nutritional supplements but rather, drugs.
As for the calcium magnesium supplement, sure go ahead, but you really need to look at the bigger picture and that is since calcium is already the most abundant mineral in the body you should ask yourself if you are receiving the appropriate nutrition to put it where it belongs or is it causing more harm than good? Whereas on the other hand, the body doesn’t retain magnesium well, it’s safe to say the body needs more for the proper processes to occur or expect accumulation of calcium. We eliminated calcium supplements because our diets already contain enough and went towards a 1:1 ratio of calcium-magnesium and our heath greatly improved; our bodies dealt with stress much better, bone density improved as my wife’s ‘diagnosed osteopenia was reversed’ all the while being told by her physician that was impossible, get used to it and hope to maintain the best you can before being put on drugs. The drugs used to treat arthritis, osteoporosis, etc. are well known for creating hardening of the bone as in brittle bones rather than the health flexible conditions in normal bone.
Magnesium isn’t the only key to bone health but we could not produce energy without it as it is a regulator of processes throughout the body.
Further reading:
Magnesium – Key to Calcium Absorption – Arthritis – Osteoporosis treatment: http://www.mgwater.com/calmagab.shtml
What is Magnesium? How it Functions in the Body http://www.ancient-minerals.com/magnesium-benefits/what-is-function/
Magnesium metabolic processes: http://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/magnesium
As for magnesium causing a laxative effect; it can but there are types of magnesium that lessen that possibility. Since we stopped taking calcium and greatly increased our magnesium intake to roughly 600-800mg over the course of the day we’ve not had any issues. The following forms are those we’ve gleaned from the natural health field for absorption, laxative effects and even neurotoxin responses.
§ (Magnesium forms that are more readily absorbed: Chelated magnesium, Magnesium taurate, chloride, glycinate, orotate, malate, L-Threonate or magnesium oil (a solution of magnesium chloride & water that can be sprayed or rubbed on the body).
§ Magnesium taurate, glycinate, and orotate forms have less laxative effects than citrate.) (Book: The Magnesium Miracle – Dr. Carolyn Dean) http://drcarolyndean.com/magnesium_miracle/
Forms of Magnesium to avoid: glutamate – neurotoxin related to aspartame; aspartate – neurotoxin same as previous; oxide
I strongly recommend you find another doctor that doesn’t get weak in the knees or laughs at you if you are looking out for your health as in the end you have to live or die with those decisions. We rarely go to the doctor and we’re in our late 50’s. Before we took charge of our health, we used to go to the doctor far more in our 20’s and 30’s. Think about it.
Read up on Vitamin K-2, the MK-4 version, which is relevant to this discussion of calcium.
Ive come back 6 months in the future to bring your attn to this again. Chris was right. It was all over the news in November/December 2015. Finally this info has gone mainstream. Your Dr should atleast have researched your claims.
It’s a common sense – Body needs a certain level of calcium. If one keeps track of the increasing or decreasing levels while taking supplimentary Ca, and stop or minimise intake of Ca suppliment accordingly there wont be any complications. All complications arise if you take Ca suppliments even after your body Ca levels are replenished.
And yes doctors do study Nutritional aspect of life too. We spend one entire year to study human body on a cellular level, one year pathological and genetic level, one year on social and nutritional level, One year pharmacological and morphological level. In other words we study human body in depth.
And what if you’ve eaten everything on that list for a long time and you exercise and you avoid caffeine and you do everything except take a calcium supplement only to find that none of the above has done anything to improve your overall bone health and you find out that your bones have thinned to the point that your doctor wants you to take Forteo injections daily? Because that’s what happened with my mother.
There is no cookie cutter approach to good health because one thing won’t works for everyone. My mother looks like a very healthy woman and she eats like one and she exercises, no alcohol, no smoking, incredibly thin and she stopped taking her calcium supplements a long time ago specifically because of advice about the dangers of calcium supplements. Based on that advice, her bones have now so deteriorated that the doctor wants her taking Forteo injections every day.
Millions of people are taking calcium supplements and I doubt most of them will drop dead from them. We’ve gotten to a point where everything has to be gluten-free, peanut-free, soy-free, grain-free, paleo, keto, low carb, vegan, non-vegan, etc, etc, etc, and it doesn’t appear that people are getting any healthier…only more paranoid and hysterical over everything.
Thin and petite women are at increased risk for osteoporosis because they have less bone to lose.
http://www.webmd.com/osteoporosis/guide/osteoporosis-risk-factors
Estrogen and testosterone levels are two of the biggest factors in maintaining bone, and both decline at menopause.
Some women rely on calcium from dark leafy green vegetables, but these vegetables are also high in oxalates that bind to calcium, then both calcium and oxalate are excreted from the body.
Vitamin D helps calcium go to bones, but too high Vit D supps turn the tables and pull calcium from bones, and also raise risk of kidney stones. Unfortunately, high Vitamin D supps are very “popular” in recent years, based on serum 25-D testing alone that by itself can rarely identify overdosing
Some kinds of strenuous exercise raises cortisol, which in turn can pull calcium from bones.
Chelation therapies have been popular in alt med in recent years, but many people don’t know that while chelating substances may be known to chelate 1 or 2 minerals mostly, they also chelate more or less indiscriminately and can pull calcium from bones and teeth etc.
Yikes Holy Smokes – I get scared to be lacking, then I get scared to include . I just started Vit. D3 cause I hardly get any Sun and no dairy
I wish the Dr.s would get on the Job of helping us, instead of making us sicker . With Med’s that cause most of are problems to begin with . QUACKS !!!
Make sure to include vitamin k2 when you take D3….otherwise you can get calcification of your arteries. K2 directs calcium to your bones.. Without it, it can end up in your arteries and organs. You will also want to include magnesium, which can be as easy as taking a warm bath with 2 cups of Epsom salt for 20 minutes. I was never told about k2 from ANY doctor when I was put on D3 for a deficiency… Three years later I went for a mammogram and the radiologist was concerned that I was a healthy 35 year old with calcification in the arteries of my breast.. Which, through further tests, was also in the arteries of my heart. Thankfully with just adding k2 and magnesium the calcification seems to be reversing.
Right on target. I just mentioned K2, MK-4 version in reply to previous poster and then reading further saw your excellent explanation. Thanks!
I can’t comment on what works for other people but in my experience my 20 year history of hypertension which had reached serious levels has been almost magically reversed as a result of cutting out the calcium magnesium supplements I had been advised to take for twitchy muscles. In their place I started to take pure magnesium, D3 and K2 supplements. My blood pressure started dropping within two weeks and is now at pretty much normal levels. I make sure to get adequate calcium nutritionally and although I’m sure this regime may not be the correct one for other people, for me it has been nothing short of a miracle.
Mary, goggle why consuming MILK products drains the bones of calcium. You might have your answer ther.
I have a broken clavicle and it’s healing is slow. I don’t know if I’m doing something wrong in my diet.
Mary — I am in complete agreement with your sentiments. Well said.