Increasing Your Calcium Intake
By: Dr Tom Jones
There is a lot of controversy as to which type of Calcium you should be taking. Most people aren't sure as to which type is the most beneficial. There are also a lot of people who tell you to drink milk to get Calcium. This article is designed to give you accurate information so that you are able to make a more educated decision when it comes to calcium supplementation. There are several types of Calcium supplements available as well as a list of foods that contain more calcium than milk. I hope this short article will educate you as to where you can focus your nutrition and supplementation.


(appoximate milligrams (mg) Calcium content per 8oz (1 cup)
NonDairy High Calcium Foods

Vegetables
330 Bok Choy
320 Bean Sprouts
250 Spinach, cooked
260 Collard greens
450 Turnip greens


Fish
300 Raw Oysters
130 Shrimp
490 Salmon
680 Mackeral
995 Sardines


Nuts
660 Almonds
600 Chest
450 Filberts
280 Walnuts
900 Sesame seeds
260 Sunflower seeds


Grains
300 Tapioca, dried
20 Brown rice, cooked
80 Quinoa, cooked
50 Corn meal, whole grain
40 Rye flour, dark
20 Rye flour, light


Beans
340 Garbanzo beans
450 Soybeans, cooked
400 Tofu


Here are some other foods that contain more Calcium than Whole Milk:
Kelp
Swiss Cheese
Carob Flour
Collard Greens
Turnip Greens
Cheddar Cheese
Brewer's Yeast
Parsley
Corn Tortillas
Dandelion Greens
Brazil nuts
Watercress
Dried Figs
Sunflower Seeds
Yogurt
Beet Greens
Wheat Bran

The key factor in deciding which calcium supplement is best for you is to check the amount of elemental calcium on the nutritional facts label. The term elemental calcium is used in dietary supplement ingredient lists that refer to the amount of calcium in that product. This gives you an idea of the actual amount of calcium you may absorb. Keep in mind that your body may not absorb 100% of the listed elemental calcium that you read on the label. Also, do not be fooled by the total weight of each tablet since this weight not only includes the elemental calcium weight, but also the weight of whatever product the calcium has been bound to such as carbonate, gluconate, lactate, or malate.

The nutrition facts label is the best place to look for the information on elemental calcium if you are unable to find it elsewhere on the products label. The amount of elemental calcium will be listed in miligrams (mg) according to "serving size" which is typically one or two tablets or capsules. The nutrition facts label also lists the percent daily value (% daily value), which indicates the amount one serving provides to the average daily recommended amount of a particular nutrient for most individuals. The % daily value for normal adults is 1000 mg of elemental calcium. The amount of elemental calcium per serving is also of importance when choosing between supplements. This will give you an indication as to how many tablets you may want to consume in order to reach your daily goal of calcium. You can also look for the "USP" or "CL" on the label. Supplements that display the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or the Consumer Lab (CL) abbreviations meet the voluntary industry standards for purity, quality, and tablet dissolution or disintegration. Keep in mind that the majority of calcium should come from your overall daily nutrition. I can't emphasize enough how important a diet high in fruits and vegetables plays in the role of overall health including the benefits of calcium. In addition, incorporating increased amounts of omega 3 fatty acids into your overall lifestyle plays a greater role in lowering cellular inflammation and increases absorption of calcium in the gut.

Calcium needs to be absorbed in an Acidic environment. Some reports have indicated the presence of lead in some calcium carbonate supplements, although below legal thresholds. However, it is the cheapest approach and therefore most prevalent on the market. Calcium needs to be absorbed in an Acidic environment. Calcium carbonate is generally the least expensive and most widely used. Approximately 80-85% of all calcium supplements sold in this country are made from calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is also widely used in antacids. They come in tablets such as os-cal, Alka-mints®, Caltrate 600®, Os-Cal 500®, Rolaids Calcium Rich®, and Tums®. This is rather ironic since people are taking antacids to reduce their acid levels in the stomach and yet they are under the impression they are getting a lot of calcium in their body.
Calcium phosphate is sometimes touted as an option “closest to the body’s natural bone” because bones contain calcium and phosphorus but in practice the body has a harder time breaking down calcium phosphate in a Independent Pharmacy form.

Because calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate have a higher % elemental calcium in them naturally than calcium citrate (40% vs. 21%), you will often see misleading advertising claims about “the most calcium per pill”. All this means is that you have to consume more calcium citrate to get the same net 1000mg of elemental calcium, not that the carbonate form is somehow better or stronger. Using a chewable pill makes this difference easier to address because there is less concern about swallowing larger or a greater quantity of pills.

Calcium citrate is best – Because it has the highest bioavailability and does not need stomach acid to help absorption, it has been shown in some studies to be better absorbed than calcium carbonate, and does not require taking with food – 27% higher absorption rate than calcium carbonate when both are taken on an empty stomach and 22% higher absorption rate vs. calcium carbonate when both are taken with food. Calcium citrate is also the only form which can be absorbed without stomach acid meaning it is the only form effective for absorption in the mouth for dental benefit as well!

So once you have the right form of calcium you have to make sure you have the right blend of vitamins and minerals to ensure maximum benefit. Here is the chart showing these key vitamins and minerals.

Vitamin/Mineral Importance

Vitamin D3 - Most important factor in calcium absorption

Phosphorus - Required to merge calcium into bone. Without a corresponding increase in phosphorus intake, people taking
calcium supplements run the risk of a phosphorus deficiency that would reduce bone mass in the end. Some
studies indicate supplements should contain a 2:1 balance of calcium to phosphorus for proper balance.

Magnesium - Necessary for proper calcium dispersion and utilization. 80% of Americans do not get RDA of this important
factor. Again like phosphorus, studies indicate 2:1 balance of calcium to magnesium is best.

Zinc - Assists in bone maintenance in concert with calcium, but American diet provides under 60% of the RDA for this mineral

Boron - Assists in transfer of calcium from bloodstream to bone structure and helps prevent loss of calcium in urine.

Manganese - Essential mineral for skeletal development

Copper - Assists in skeletal mineralization

Silica - Assists in increasing body's uptake of calcium and the formation of collagen (connective bone tissue)

Vitamin K - Helps in the synthesis of osteocalcian protein which is unique to bone and acts as receptor for formation of calcium
ions. Also reduces urinary calcium loss.


Finally you should consider the form of tablet used. Using a chewable form of calcium that can be taken without food (only possible with calcium citrate) allows a person to take it anytime, anywhere–increasing the chance of consistent usage. Chewing up the supplement also provides instant breakdown and aids in getting the calcium into the bloodstream. Chewing it in the mouth (instead of swallowing a dissolved solution) also ensures maximum benefit for dental health as well. Keeping this thought in mind, liquid supplementation is even more effective in getting the calcium into your body. Liquid has the highest absorption rate since there is no solid material to be broken down by the body.
The evidence continues to pour in that eating plenty of fruits and vegetables is good for your health. In this case, researchers found that both young and old age groups had improvements in bone mineral status when they ate a lot of fruits and vegetables.
Specifically, boys and girls aged 16-18 years and women aged 60-83 years had significant positive associations between spine bone mineral content and fruit intake. In boys, the association was true for neck bone mineral content as well.
Among women aged 60-83 years, a significant positive association was also found between spine bone mineral content and fruit intake. The results found that if fruit intake doubled, it would result in a 5 percent increment in spine bone mineral content.
Previous studies have also found associations between fruit and vegetable intake and positive measures of bone health.
It is not yet known how fruits and vegetables may affect the bones, though some suggest it may be the alkalizing effect of fruit and vegetable consumption on acid-base balance. Other possible mechanisms include the dietary effects of vitamin K, phytoestrogens and other unidentified dietary components they contain.
Calcium can decrease the absorption of other drugs such as tetracycline antibiotics (e.g., doxycycline, minocycline), bisphosphonates (e.g., alendronate), estramustine, levothyroxine, and quinolone antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin). Also, certain medications can decrease the absorption of vitamin D (bile acid sequestrants such as cholestyramine/colestipol, mineral oil, orlistat). Therefore, separate your doses of these medications as far as possible from your doses of calcium/vitamin D. Ask your doctor or pharmacist about how long you should wait between doses and for help finding a dosing schedule that will work with all your medications.