Reminder about calcium

Just wanted to post a little reminder about calcium.  The two most common kinds of calcium found in supplements are calcium citrate and calcium carbonate.  Tums, Viactiv and Caltrate are all calcium carbonate and people don’t absorb that well at all, especially people with certain weight loss surgeries like RNY.  Optisource also contains calcium carbonate and Bariatric Fusion has a mixture of calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

Citracal and generic forms of Citracal contain calcium citrate, which is what we need.  It’s hard to find chewable calcium citrate in stores but Celebrate and Bariatric Advantage both make them and you can order online.  Upcal D, which is a powder you can mix in a drink, is also calcium citrate.  You can find liquid forms as well.

Tricalcium phosphate is another kind of calcium found in some supplements and it is also not absorbed well at all.  That’s what’s in Flintstones.  Wellesse, a liquid calcium supplement, contains a mixture of tricalcium phosphate and calcium citrate, so you’ll only absorb some of the calcium in there.  Citracal now makes gummy calcium and while most Citracal supplements are calcium citrate, their gummies are tricalcium phosphate

Make sure you take your calcium in doses of 500-600 mg.  People can’t absorb more than that at one time.  Take doses at least two hours apart.  Read the label carefully to see what the serving size is.  Like, Citrical petites have 400 mg per serving but a serving is TWO pills.

Take calcium two hours away from your iron because calcium blocks the absorption of iron.

 Kelly,
      Sorry to hijack about iron, but I'm on vacation, and the store is out of bifera. Have your heard of SlowFE? I think it isn't going to work because it is a time release, but what is your opinion?

If it's a time release one, you won't absorb all of it.  You'll absorb some but it's hard to say how much. 

I'm not sure what kind of iron it is, either.  Is it ferrous sulfate?

 Where do you get your bifera? I tried to find some at my supermarket and couldn't.

you should be able to bifera at Walgreens or CVS, many pharmacies have. You can also order online


Tamara

Thanks. I want to get it local. If I'm going to order online, I'll get Proferrin but I'm trying to find things locally and avoiding shipping charges!

 I get it at Walgreens or CVS. Usually 19.99 for a box of 30.  :( Expensive, but it does work.

 Never mind, I just read on the label that it is ferrous sulfate, and I know I don't want that. Of to CVS again I guess. :(

Look for Feosol.  But read the label because they make carbonyl, which is what you want, and ferrous sulfate, which you don't want.  But CVS usually has the carbonyl Feosol.

 Thanks! I did buy the Feosol, but it doesn't have the Vit. C in it that I know I need for best absorption, and which I do get with Vitalady's, so I just bought the Bifera at the CVS, and will order Vitalady when I return home. Thanks again Kelly!