Calcium Supplements
Other than exercise, which I had all but stopped due to a disc degeneration in my lower spine, the two other pieces to this puzzle is diet and supplements. So I began my search for the perfect combination of supplements that could help. You know if we live long enough, all women would develop osteoporosis? Most men would too, by the way. I know there is a limit to how much the body can metabolize at any one time, so more doesn't necessarily mean better. Too much calcium will cause kidney stones that are very painful, I might add. What I do is take mine in small amounts with food. My chiropractor told me that liquid calcium is more readily absorbed so I take that but keep the tablets handy in case I'm not at home and have to take it on the road.
I hear it's best to buy well known brands of vitamins and minerals because the manufacturers of supplements are not regulated and the larger companies that advertise would make it their business to supply a good product with the amount and quality that's listed on the label. You know that saying "You get what you pay for"? That would apply here. Just to be sure that your calcium supplement will be absorbed well in your body here is a little test. Plop the tablet in a cup of clear vinegar. It should dissolve in about 30 minutes because the acid in the vinegar is similar to our stomachs. If it doesn't dissolve then you might as well buy another brand. If we don't digest the calcium well enough then it won't be absorbed into our intestines so this is important. Most calcium supplements should be taken with food, somehow it all works together and is better digested and absorbed.
Along with my calcium intake I also have to remember what's leaving my body at every turn. I have to consider salt and protein. In a nut shell, too much salt or protein means I have to increase my calcium because it gets used up through the excretion of salt and sulfate. The sulfate is what remains after the body uses the protein and that also laps up my calcium. Sometimes this information is overwhelming, I know. Just remember not to go over board with salt and protein and you should be okay.
I'm not taking any other medication, but if I did, I'd check with my pharmacist or doctor before I started taking anything in this regard. If you are taking an anticoagulant you should definitely find out the repercussions to the combination of these with supplements. My aim is to keep my level of calcium in my blood stable because if it goes out of balance then my body will have to find it's calcium from somewhere. Guess where? My bones! There are other vitamins and minerals with calcium supplements for me to take. Here are the ones that I take on a regular basis; D800 to 1,200 IU (if you have Osteoporosis) or if you're trying to ward it off, I've heard that boron is also excellent but I don't know enough about it or where to find it at this point. My friend Barb is a flight attendant and she buys her's in Sydney Australia but she says it's available in the U.S. I'll have to take a look around for that. BACK to Senior Health articles LEAVE Calcium Supplements article and go to Home Page
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I knew it was time to learn more about my calcium supplements when my doctor discovered that my bone density test was worse than the same test I had done 2 years ago. We all know that just taking calcium will not prevent osteoporosis, although a lack of it can cause the disease. We also know that as I went into menopause the most compelling cause of my osteopenia is my lack of hormones. But I've been on hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for four years now and still my bones have weakened? My doctor prescribed estrogen (the most effective treatment) and also added progesterone. (In combination the two are even more effective to help bone loss) 