How to better supplement calcium?🐄🐄🐄

Calcium deficiency can cause many physiological problems. Not only does it affect bones and teeth, it also affects multiple organs and systems. Calcium deficiency can also cause cramps, numbness of hands and feet, rough itchy skin, palpitations, insomnia, blurred vision, etc. With the public's attention to health, more and more people realize the importance of calcium supplementation. Therefore, here will explain how to better supplement calcium.

Supplement calcium through diet.

Calcium in food is easier to absorb and utilize than calcium supplements. Therefore, diet is the best source of calcium. Calcium supplementation is not necessary if dietary calcium supplementation can achieve the daily requirement. 

• Milk and various dairy products (such as yogurt, cheese, etc.) have high calcium content and are easy to absorb. They are the most ideal source of calcium. Drinking about 300 ml of milk every day can supplement about 300 mg of calcium. 
• Beans and soy products, including soybeans, lentils, edamame, broad beans, and tofu, are also good calcium-supplementing foods. 100 grams of soybeans contain up to 191 mg of calcium. 100 grams of tofu can contain up to 164 mg of calcium.
• Other foods high in calcium include kelp, seaweed, dried shrimp, various nuts (hazelnuts, peanuts, etc.), sesame paste, peanut butter, etc. However, it is not advisable to eat too much dried shrimp, otherwise it will cause excessive sodium intake.

In addition, egg yolks are rich in vitamin D. It promotes the absorption of calcium. It can be eaten with other high-calcium foods. Sun exposure can also promote calcium absorption.

Differences in calcium supplements.

Calcium supplementation should be based on diet, supplemented by calcium supplements. If you can't get enough calcium from food, you need calcium supplements. Calcium is not the more expensive the better. It needs to be selected reasonably according to your own situation.

Calcium supplements should be high in calcium content, easy to absorb, less irritating to the stomach and cheap. 

Calcium content of various calcium supplements:

Calcium intake is calculated as calcium element. Different types of calcium supplements have different levels of calcium element. The content of calcium element is also a reference indicator for choosing calcium supplements. 

The calcium element content of calcium carbonate is about 40%. The calcium element content of calcium citrate is about 21%. The calcium element content of amino acid chelated calcium is about 20%. The calcium element content of calcium lactate is about 13%. The calcium element content of calcium gluconate is about 10%.

• 1 tablet of calcium carbonate 1500 mg contains 600 mg of calcium element (1500 mg × 40% = 600 mg). The usage is 1 tablet each time, 1 to 2 times daily.
• 1 tablet of calcium citrate 500 mg contains 100 mg of calcium element (500 mg × 20% = 100 mg). The usage is 2 to 4 tablets each time, 3 times a day.
• 1 tablet of calcium gluconate 500 mg contains 50 mg of calcium element (500 mg × 10% = 50 mg). The usage is 4 to 8 tablets each time, 3 times a day.

Absorbability of various calcium supplements.

The absorption rate of various calcium supplements is about 30%. The absorption of calcium is affected by many factors. 

• The absorption of calcium is related to the intake. Excessive intake at one time can affect calcium absorption.
• Calcium carbonate must be dissociated into calcium ions by gastric acid before it can be absorbed by the intestine. Therefore, it is best to take it after a meal. Patients with insufficient gastric acid or taking gastric acid suppressing drugs (such as cimetidine, omeprazole) should choose calcium supplements with good water solubility, such as calcium lactate and calcium gluconate.
• Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium . Therefore, calcium supplements containing vitamin D have a higher absorption rate.
• Taking vegetables or fruits containing rich oxalic acid together with calcium supplements will affect the absorption of calcium.

Do calcium supplements have side effects?

Inorganic salt calcium supplements (such as calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate) have high calcium content, but they have poor solubility. They are usually alkaline and require more stomach acid to break down and absorb. Therefore, it is easy to cause gastrointestinal adverse reactions such as bloating, indigestion and constipation.

Organic acid calcium supplements (such as calcium citrate, calcium lactate, and calcium gluconate) have low calcium content, but they have good water solubility and are easily absorbed. They have minimal gastrointestinal reactions. Therefore, patients with poor gastrointestinal function are usually recommended to use organic acid calcium supplements.

How to better supplement calcium?

Time: 

The best time to take is after meals and at night before going to bed. 

• An acidic environment facilitates the absorption of calcium. Food can stimulate gastric acid secretion. It is best to take calcium supplements about 1 hour after meals (even for patients with insufficient gastric acid, taking calcium supplements after meals can achieve normal calcium absorption). It can also reduce the irritation of calcium supplements to the gastrointestinal tract.
• At late night, the blood calcium concentration of the human body is the lowest and the absorption rate of calcium is the highest. Therefore, the calcium supplement at night is taken before going to bed and the absorption effect is better.

Low intensity and high frequency: 

Study found that the absorption rate of calcium in divided doses daily was significantly better than that of once daily (more than 20% higher). Therefore, it is recommended to take 3 to 4 times a day, and the amount of calcium supplementation per time should not exceed 200 mg.

Take it alone:

Calcium supplements are better absorbed when taken alone. It should not be taken at the same time as iron, zinc or multivitamins (which contain minerals such as phosphorus, zinc, iron). They have the potential to affect the absorption of calcium. At the same time, try to avoid taking it with high-calcium foods such as milk and soy products, so as to avoid excessive calcium supplementation at one time and affect calcium absorption.

Take with Vitamin D:

Vitamin D can promotes the absorption of calcium. Foods rich in vitamin D include egg yolk, cod liver oil, animal liver and so on. Human skin contains 7-dehydrocholesterol. It can be converted into vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, regular sun exposure can promote the absorption of calcium.

Chew and take:

The surface area of calcium supplements increases after being chewed, which facilitates better absorption. Therefore, if it is possible, chew calcium supplements before taking them.

Other.

Patients with diabetes should avoid taking calcium containing sugars (such as calcium gluconate or excipients containing sugars). Coffee, carbonated beverages and alcohol can affect calcium absorption, so it is recommended to drink less or not. Some green vegetables (such as spinach, celery, leeks, cauliflower, spinach, etc.) contain more oxalic acid. It can combine with calcium in food to form water-insoluble calcium oxalate, thereby affecting the absorption of calcium. Therefore, when eating such vegetables, it should be boiled in water to destroy the oxalic acid before cooking.

In addition, calcium supplementation is only used to prevent osteoporosis, not to treat it. If the patient already has osteoporosis, calcium supplementation alone is not enough. It should be under the guidance of a doctor and accept the treatment of anti-osteoporosis drugs.