What does “elemental calcium supplements” mean?

If you’re thinking of taking calcium supplements, it pays to do a bit of research. A quick look around your nearest health food shop will reveal a wide range of calcium supplements. You might notice a bunch of terminology and phrases you may not have come across before, like elemental calcium supplements, for example. What does elemental calcium supplements mean – and how are they different to normal supplements?

Firstly elemental calcium is the pure form of calcium. If you take a look at the periodic table, you’ll see that calcium is up on the chart, alongside other elements like oxygen and helium. Calcium is a pure form – it cannot be broken into other forms. That is the meaning of the word elemental. When these elements bond together, they create compounds – which are also called molecules. When calcium combines with carbon and oxygen – it creates calcium carbonate, which is the most common type of calcium supplement on the market and also used a lot if antacid tablets to reduce the symptoms of acid reflux and indigestion.

In short, calcium carbonate contains elemental calcium, elemental carbon and elemental oxygen. When this calcium carbonate molecule is consumed, as part of a calcium supplement say, the elemental calcium breaks away from the carbon and oxygen and returns to its former, pure, elemental self. The amount of elemental calcium in calcium carbonate which is readily available to be absorbed by our bodies is around 40 per cent.

We need to hit around the 1000mg mark to get the full daily hit of calcium that our body needs. In order to achieve this, we need to understand how much elemental calcium we are consuming to stay aboard with the figures.

So, we’re back in the health shop looking at the different types of calcium supplements. We look at one jar of calcium carbonate which has says it has 1000mg of calcium carbonate in each tablet. In that one tablet, 400mg (the 40 per cent) of that is elemental calcium. It is this elemental calcium that is able to be absorbed into the digestive system. So what’s in the remaining 60 per cent? Well don’t forget that calcium carbonate is also made up of carbon and oxygen, so these two elements make up the rest of the tablet.

However, with any type of supplement, it is vital you read what you are taking and understand it. If anything is unclear, your GP or pharmacist will be able help you work out what you need.