Calcium

OK all of you nutrition experts out there. Here is a question for you: What is the difference between Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Citrate? I have been told by my NUT. that post rny folks cannot absorb the Calcium Carbonate and must take the Calcium Citrate. I believe it and that's what I do. However, my sister had her surgery at Mayo and was told to take Tums only (Calcium Carbonate). Now she has had a bone scan and says they told her bones were "at risk." I want to advise her but need some Board support so I hope some of you will respond. Thanks, Mary

Mary, Refer her to any of the zillions of sites that shows a diagram of the bypass surgery. ....Have her google "where is calcium absorbed?"......she will notice that we bypass the calcium absorbing zone. Calcium carbonate isn't always absorbed by normies either....the citrate (a bit more expensive)......is the ticket for us!!! For a great explanation and tons of detailed information on which calciums to buy....go to Sandy B's personal website. She has been researching the bejeebies out of calcium forever! Yoooooooo Hoooooooooo Sandy???? ....she may be ignorring us today because she's getting ready to show her prize winning dog at the big show this weekend!!!!.......but, yoiu can hop over to the [email protected] and check out the files section. She has downloaded truckloads of info on calcium. Wish I could be better versed in the details for you. I just KNOW from personal experience that if we take the correct dosage and type then our bone issues can improve and/ or be prevented. Joyce P.S. Sooooo good to see your gorgeous self last night!

Mary I was told to take Tums for the upset stomach, but for the calcium to take calcium citrate as the carbonate doesn't absorb as well. I agree with Joyce. You should be able to find lots of articles on the net to back you up if you need them. But I would certainly whare with your sister the information you know.

Hi Mary - Joyce gave me a call so here I am. I have a page on my website that will help with your questions about calcium citrate. www.acdlady.com/WLS_Calcium If you would like to contact me privately I can send you some word docs with the description on how to read calcium labels too. It is crucially important to our bone health to know how to read the labels so that we know we are getting the amount of elemental calcium that our body needs. I take 2500 mg of elemental calcium daily and actually improved my bone density on the last exam after a significant loss the year before (I am still in the good zone). The general rule of thumb with calcium citrate if it comes in capsule form is that it will take FOUR capsules per serving to get 500 mg of elemental calcium. I do not know of any capsule form that can be done with less capsules per serving. You can reach me at slkscb at msn.com. I will be more than happy to send you my various calcium documents via email OR if you would like I can burn you a CD and mail it to you. I have tons of WLS related research and do share it via CD when someone wishes to learn more. I do have a dog show this coming weekend at WestWorld so will be in and out. But, I will do my best to get back with you right away. I have to admit that I always want to SCREAM when I hear that docs are still saying to do Tums or calcium carbonate. If they were messing up their own bones they would think twice about it. Some surgeons start their patients off on Tums right after surgery, but have them change shortly thereafter. I was lucky mine did not specify either and I did my research.

Yay! The voice of much knowledge and great wisdom has rescued my feeble efforts at "calcium"!!!! .....Course I'm quite sure I could outdo you on a topic such as....hmmmm...."the fine quality of Dove chocolate"!!! ....But, you are definitely the Queen of calcium info and have generously shared yoiur research with bunches of us! Thanks Sandy! .......I'll see you at the dog show on Friday morning!!!! Woooo Hoooooo! You're going to kick some doggy booty!!!!! Joyce P.S. I found the most disturbing thing at Fry's grocery store this morning.... Sugar FREE Dove's chocolate!!!! Noooooooooo!!!!! .....It rode around with me in my cart until I pulled out my glasses and read that it is still 190 calories per serving (5 itty bitty bites!).....Bad, Bad, Bad !

Hi Joyce, So if I take Citracal Calcium Citrate Petites with Vitamin D, they are 400mg. for two. How many would I have to take on a regualar basis, and do I have to space them out between my multivitamins. I am 8 1/2 months post-op. When I saw Dr. Fang last week, he said that I am ready for Calcium about 500mg. in the am and 500mg. in the pm. Or did he mean 500mg. each pill, so that would be 1000mg. in the am. and 1000mg. in the pm. Thanks 214/141/114 27pounds til goal, man is that lasting forever.

Hmmmmm, my math would make that about 10 petites a day since I shoot for 2000. I'd probably take 3 tablets at a time every 2 hours through the core of the day. I take my multi vitamins in the morning and again at night. I take my iron early in the a.m. with vitamin c so it doesn't mix with the calcium....then I take my vitamin, biotin, inositol, B12 complex, yada yada yada.....then around 10 or 11 I start popping my calcium. I shake mine up and mix it between UpCal D (Vitalady.com), Kirkland calcium citrate, Bariatric ADvantage (love the cinnamon) and Citracal crushed and swished with some Crystal Light. Sandy B is the calcium expert though. I figured out my routine long ago and kind of do it throughout the day without much thought. I developed osteopenia as a post-op and have become a bit obsessive about my calcium...... 27 pounds is just a few protein drinks and a few miles of walking away....You CAN do it!....I'm "relosing" 15 to goal and feel your pain! But, I know it can be done if we journal and follow the basics = 3 bites protein, 1 bite healthy carb, oodles of water, oodles of exercise and very few calories, simple carbs, salt, etc. Hugggzzz, Joyce

Mary,e I was told that taking too much calcium in one sitting can cause kidney stones as your body can't absorb it all at once. I am wondering how you go about getting i 2500mg of elemental calcium a day? What I read on the internet Calcium citrate is only 20% calcium per 1000mg. So if I am understanding that would mean you have to take 5000 mg of calcium citrate to get 1000 mg of calcium?? That wound mean taking 25 of the calcium petite pills a day as 2 pills is equal to 400mg of calcium citrate. So there must be a better way of going about it? Yes? How do you do it?

Calcium citrate is not known to cause kidney stones. Calcium carbonate is. It is said that a normal person can only absorb 400-600 mg elemental calcium at a time. Thus the need to spread out throughout the day. You are correct about the fact that calcium citrate is very low in elemental calcium. It depends on the manufacturer as to how much elemental calcium is in a particular calcium citrate product. Vitalady carries a capsule that is about 28% elemental per 1000 mg (she had it tested). Products that are labeled in elemental calcium amounts include: Bariatric Advantage (I believe this is 500 mg per chewable), citracal tablets, citracal chewables, Twin Lab capsules (these do take 4 capsules per 500 mg serving of elemental calcium though), Kirkland carries a generic version of citracal that is listed in elemental calcium (500 mg per tablet), Hi-Health has a chewable tablet that is in elemental amounts, and there are probably others. The last time that I saw a Tropical Oasis liqiud calcium label it was not listed in elemental amounts, but that could have changed. Many manufacturers are improving how they label their products, but not all have. Since we need elemental calcium it is essential to know how to read the labels. In order to answer your question about the calcium petite pills I need to know exactly what the label says. If it says calcium (calcium citrate) 400 mg that is listed in elemental calcium amounts (i.e. 400 mg elemental calcium). If it just says calcium citrate that is not (however, I would follow up with the manufacturer because I know of one that is elemental calcium and the label just reads calcium citrate and that is UpCalD powder). One of the things I do is use calcium citrate from several manufacturers each day. I have this thing about putting all my bones in one manufacturer's basket. I also do not take calcium tablets whole - I always crush. I know of someone who had xrays done of colon and found whole tablets still in there. With our shortened absorption areas I wish to give my body the best shot at absorption and having to dissolve a tablet is not conducive to that in my book. Daily I use 500 mg UpCalD powder in a shake, 1 Bariatric Advantage cinnamon chewable, 4 twin labs calcium citrate, and two servings of the Hi-Health chewable for a total of 2500 mg elemental calcium in the form of calcium citrate. I spread these out throughout the day. Sometimes I will use a crushed Kirkland instead of one of the others, it just depends on my mood. Sandy

Sandy, OOOOOKAY. The label says Calcium (Calcium citrate) 400mg per 2 pills. So taking 5 pills like I have been is the right amount? Yes??? Well.. i guess 5 would be 1000 so to get 1200 i would have to take 5 1/2 pills. But that is correct, yes? Taking the 5 1/2 pills is enough. I don't take them all at once I take them through out the day. And thank you for clarifying for the kidney stone issue. So is that why so many bariatric patients get kidney stones is because they aren't taking the right calcium?