Question:
Do we absorb Calcium Carbonate at all?

I have found that I can tolerate Viactiv , but all other supplements I've tried make me feel sick.I figured that it may not be ideal, but some calcium is better than none, since I puke up the pills.Ive been taking around 4 chews a day trying to get a decent amount in.Will this approach work at all?Help.    — [Anonymous] (posted on February 11, 2002)

February 11, 2002
Probably not. Evidence is pointing to no absorption, even for proximals, with many showing osteopenia & osteoporosis by 2 yrs post-op. The flip side to carbonate is that it also tend to make kidney stones, which makes that a fairly common affliction in gastric bypass people. And that is NOT fun at all. Mine passed, only having taken me out of my life for 5 days. My husband's had to be removed surgically. But the rest of us who've had them seem to have been able to pass them. The urologists stand united on that one. Calcium citrate is the treatment of choice to prevent kidney stones & crystals. Perhaps trying a different form of citrate or different brand would be helpful to you?
   — vitalady

March 13, 2003
We do ont absorb Calcium carbonate at all. It naturally absorbed inthe duodenum. It is also believed that we absorb very little calcium from calcium enriched foods. There are shweable calcium tablets at health food stores and also a liquid calcium that tastes pretty good. I am now taking Calcitrate but the pills are hard on my stomach. Our group has discovered that we need 1200mg of calciu citrate three times a day to maintain our stores. With in the frist year post-op you should have a dexascan done to see if you are having calcium loss in the bones. Once this starts, it is virtually irreversible. So out group takes mega doses to prevent calcium loss from our bones and we have had success with this aggressive treatment plan. email me f you have questions: [email protected]
   — Lyn D.

March 13, 2003
I asked my doctor the same thing and he stated that there are the same amount of studies that show that we do absorb calcium carbonate as there are that show we do not. So in short according to my doctor, it has not been proven that we do not absorb it. My opinion on this is that if we did not absorb it, why do you read here so many people who use Tums as their cacium supplement?
   — Marcy S.

March 13, 2003
Calcium carbonate is simply blackboard chalk. Normals people do NOT absorb carbonate well, so how could we be expected to? It's a waste to take Tums or Calcium carbonate supplements because the do NOT get into your cell, thus they do not get into your bones, teeth, wherever you need it. It must be Calcium Citrate, and it needs to be supplemented with Vit D and Magnesium in order to absorb it properly. Also, if you are supplementing Calcium Citrate and not Vit D and Mag and you're experiencing constipation ... that may very well be why.
   — KelBurt

May 20, 2005
I am 20 months post op and have been taking Viactiv (calcium carbonate) and had a bone scan done and it shows significant bone loss. I am now taking calcium citrate but I wonder how much damage I have already done. I am 36 years old and worry that my bones wont last me till old age.
   — Michelle K.

May 21, 2005
Well, some calcium is better than none, but I, too, have seen (and actually personally read) studies suggesting calcium carbonate isn't as well absorbed as calcium citrate even for "normal" people. So why bother with it when you've got malabsorption issues on top of that? For sure, I wouldn't be tossing down tons of calcium carbonate because of the kidney stone issue. That is reason enough for me to reach for calcium citrate. 'Cause while some docs will say calcium carbonate isn't as well absorbed, and others will say it makes no diff which we take, nobody's saying carbonate's better than citrate. Q.E.D.: Take the citrate version.
   — Suzy C.