Calcium Question

I'm adding Calcium to my Vitamin Regime now.   My PCP said his concern is taking so much, that I would really need labs every other month to adjust because too much calcium and it causes bone spurs (even on the shoulder).   I'm not sure if I should stick with the 2000mg per day or cut back.  Does anyone know how much we absorb?  I'm also taking my K's with 2 doses as well as Boron with the last dose of the day to help absorption. 

Thoughts anyone?

Never heard of that one. 2000mg isn't too much for us. I take 3600mg a day with no issues. We take calcium citrate, a pretty absorbable type, not the cheap calcium carbonate. I'm guessing we absorb 50% of what we take due to the way our duodenum is bypassed. We only absorb in the lower part of the small intestine. I just don't think your PCP gets the malabsorption aspect of the DS.

--gina

Too much calcium is a ridiculous thought when you consider that SO many people get too little.  I take 3600 a day and that keeps me regular and keeps my bone density tests looking good.  Of course I also check my labs every 6 months,

Your doc doesn't understand your malabsorbtion or maybe even how calcium is processed by the body.  If you take in more than your receptors can handle, you poop it out.  It is not easy for anyone to get too much calcium.  I think I'll just copy and paste what I just posted on another thread.  I wrote it for someone else but it applies here too.

Calcium receptors are in the small intestine.  Each receptor will grab and metabolize a molecule of calcium whenever it is available.  Then it will grab another, and so on.  This is why it's better to take calcium at least a couple times a day so it's always available.  Mineral soup.

Next comes all the YMMV stuff.  Everyone doesn't start out with the same number of receptors.  Everyone doesn't end up with the same number of receptors post op.  Our bodies try to adapt to surgery so many of us probably 'grow' additional receptors in the small bowel we have left that functions normally.  This is why we have labs done because the calcium/D/Mg, etc, that works fine for me may not be enough for you.  And then figure in things like gender, age, environmental factors.  It's all a balancing act!

And BTW when you start talking about D pretty much everyone malabsorbs oral D.  There are very few foods that contain naturally occurring D.  Almost everything we eat that has D in it is fortified, meaning the D was added in the manufacturing process.  This is because people weren't meant to eat their D.  We are supposed to make our own from moderate sun exposure.

as a dser, 2000mg of ca really is not a lot, and it appears your dr doesnt understand malabsorption, it is not how much we consume but how much our body absorbs.  as a dser ca is not just for bone health but as a dser you really need ca for kidney health.  fat malabsorption will lead to enteric hyperoxaluria, you need ca to bind this, it is not just about bone health, and most drs do not know about enteric hyperoxaluria (unless you are a nephrologist), you dont need to be tested every other month for ca, but i would suggest making sure you test your ca via PTH, ask your dr to treat you as a short gut patient if they are not familiar with ds

I take ca citrate, boron, silica, strontium, I would not take less than 2000mg/day ca.....