Choosing a Calcium Supplement

Calcium is an essential mineral needed for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. It is also important in regulating the heartbeat, conducting nerve impulses, stimulating hormone secretions, and clotting blood. A calcium-deficient body will have weaker bones that break over time.

The human body cannot produce calcium; it must take in the mineral by way of consuming calcium-rich foods or taking calcium supplements. Even a fully grown person needs to take in adequate calcium because the body loses the mineral everyday through the skin, nails, hair, urine, bowel and sweat.

Calcium supplements come in combination with other substances called calcium compounds like calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, and calcium citrate. Each compound contains different levels of elemental calcium or the actual amount of calcium in the supplement. Thus, know how much elemental calcium is present in the supplement. The best calcium supplement is the one that meets your calcium requirements. In addition, it must be acceptable to your body, convenient to take in, budget-friendly, and widely available. Some calcium supplements can cause side effects like gas or constipation, so you might want to switch brands or products. It is equally important to consider the product's purity, absorbability, and calcium interactions. A product with "purified" on its label is ideal, but stay away from those derived from unrefined oyster shell, bone meal, or dolomite as they may be toxic. As for absorbability, the body can easily absorb calcium. However, you can test a product by placing it in a small amount of warm water for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. If the tablet or capsule dissolves easily, it is fairly absorbable by the body. Calcium is best absorbed in conjunction with Vitamin D.