An Experimenting Mood . . .
Hmm, I've been thinking about this whole calcium/constipation thing and I have a theory. It may be a stupid theory, but hey . . . there you go.
I'm curious . . . what exactly is it about the calcium supplements that binds you up? I mean, is it the elemental calcium itself or is it the fillers and binders that are added to the supplement? It was recommended to me early on that we can dissolve the citrical pills in water/crystal light, etc. and drink it. That the calcium stayed in the water and the filler dropped as sediment to the bottom.
Because I didn't like the horse pills in the beginning, this is primarily how I did my calcium. I would take all the pills for the day and dissolve in a small bottle of crystal lite. Throughout the day I would add this to my drinking water (so I would be getting smaller amounts at a time throughout the day and hopefully be better absorbed since we only absorb so much at a time). I never had issues with constipation or regularity at that time and my levels were fine.
When I got back on the wagon this past June, I did the dissolve thing too, but because my PTH indicated I needed calcium badly, I tried to be more aggressive so also did the pills. This is the first time I've dealt with constipation. I've stopped the dissolve and am just doing pills, but still struggling with this issue.
I've asked before on the boards if anyone heard of this or does it (the dissolve thing) and I don't get the impression that many do based on the responses. But at this point, I'm personally wondering if the solution to my problem is to just go back to dissolving the citrical in my water and stopping with the pills altogether.
I'm game to try it and see what happens. I'll let you know and if anyone has any thoughts, I'm certainly open to them.
JoAnn
I'm curious . . . what exactly is it about the calcium supplements that binds you up? I mean, is it the elemental calcium itself or is it the fillers and binders that are added to the supplement? It was recommended to me early on that we can dissolve the citrical pills in water/crystal light, etc. and drink it. That the calcium stayed in the water and the filler dropped as sediment to the bottom.
Because I didn't like the horse pills in the beginning, this is primarily how I did my calcium. I would take all the pills for the day and dissolve in a small bottle of crystal lite. Throughout the day I would add this to my drinking water (so I would be getting smaller amounts at a time throughout the day and hopefully be better absorbed since we only absorb so much at a time). I never had issues with constipation or regularity at that time and my levels were fine.
When I got back on the wagon this past June, I did the dissolve thing too, but because my PTH indicated I needed calcium badly, I tried to be more aggressive so also did the pills. This is the first time I've dealt with constipation. I've stopped the dissolve and am just doing pills, but still struggling with this issue.
I've asked before on the boards if anyone heard of this or does it (the dissolve thing) and I don't get the impression that many do based on the responses. But at this point, I'm personally wondering if the solution to my problem is to just go back to dissolving the citrical in my water and stopping with the pills altogether.
I'm game to try it and see what happens. I'll let you know and if anyone has any thoughts, I'm certainly open to them.
JoAnn
Diva Jojo: SW: 440lbs -- CW: 274lbs -- GW: 240lbs
Go do some reading about this. That sludge in the bottom of the water bottle IS the calcium. Most elemental calcium will not disolve in water, the PH of the solution has to be lower, more acidic. More of the calcium, theoretically, would be disolved in crystal lite or any other drink with ascorbic acid(vitamin C), simply because the PH is lower.
The HCL(hydrochloric acid) in your stomach disolves calcium. That's why I want to take my calcium when my stomach is NOT full of fluids. I want the PH to be low with a high concentration of acid for maximum absorbtion. Not doable all the time, but I try whenever possible.
The vitamin 'test' where you make sure your pills disolve in 30 minutes in a glass of water isn't really that accurate. A much better 'test' would be to put those pills in a glass of vinegar(acetic acid). The vinegar is much closer to what's working in your stomach to disolve the pills you take.
I hope you were at least drinking all the sludge in the bottom of the bottle?
The HCL(hydrochloric acid) in your stomach disolves calcium. That's why I want to take my calcium when my stomach is NOT full of fluids. I want the PH to be low with a high concentration of acid for maximum absorbtion. Not doable all the time, but I try whenever possible.
The vitamin 'test' where you make sure your pills disolve in 30 minutes in a glass of water isn't really that accurate. A much better 'test' would be to put those pills in a glass of vinegar(acetic acid). The vinegar is much closer to what's working in your stomach to disolve the pills you take.
I hope you were at least drinking all the sludge in the bottom of the bottle?
I dont know anything about dissolving calcium, but I started out taking Vitaladys calcium and/or Citrical. Then I tried some Bariatric advantage Chewable Calcium Citrate. I like them because they sort of seem like a treat. But as time goes on, I have found that I have to limit myself to two of those a day or I get constipated quick. Of course I take other calcium citrate pills in addition to those two chewables. The chewables have too much sugar in them anyway to be the sole source of calcuim, anyway.
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