What is a good calcium supplement?

If you’re looking for a good calcium supplement, it is worth knowing that what is a good calcium supplement for one person might not necessarily be a good one for another person.

As with any type of medication, there can be side effects. With calcium supplements, the side effects are relatively minor and can include bloating and constipation. However, these are only experienced by a small percentage of people.

There are different forms of calcium supplement. The most common and the cheapest form is calcium carbonate. This may well be the most readily available, however, it comes with the most risk of side effects, being the hardest to absorb. However, again, these aren’t experienced by everyone.

Whatever supplement you decide to take, there are some basics to follow:

1. Understand how much calcium you are getting through your diet before you take supplements. Taking too much can be bad for you.

2. Take several smaller doses per day, because your body can absorb only 500 mg at a time.

3. Your body needs vitamin D to use calcium most efficiently, so look for supplements that contain both.

4. You also need to work out how much you need. You may well be getting a fair amount in your diet, so bearing in mind you need 1000mg a day, work out how much you are deficient by. Bear in mind, that too much calcium can be a bad thing. Excess amounts (more than 2,500 mg a day) can harm the kidneys and can reduce the absorption of other minerals like iron, zinc and magnesium.

Precautions: Don’t take more than 1,200 mg of calcium (in supplement form) a day unless instructed by a doctor or dietitian. Also, avoid taking calcium supplements at the same time as some kinds of medications, including bisphosponates like alendronate (Fosamax) and ibandronate (Boniva) and certain antibiotics, because it can block their absorption by the body. As with any supplement, talk to your doctor before taking.