Calcium Supplements For Osteoporosis. Which One Should You Choose?
The most abundant mineral found in the body is calcium, of which 99% of it is stored within the bones. Osteoporosis is a disorder of the bones in which there is decalcification of the bone. This loss of minerals from the bones makes it more fragile and prone to fractures. Thus, an osteoporotic patient’s bone fractures more easily as compared to a normal individual.
Osteoporosis and Menopause | Using Calcium Supplements for Treatment
It is generally observed that osteoporosis sets in most women after menopause. This is due to hormonal changes, which occur in the body (i.e. a drop in levels of the hormones estrogen, progesterone and even testosterone - yes, women make testosterone, too, which are normally responsible for bone mineralization). However, reduction in bone density could also occur due to a variety of other factors such as malnutrition, decreased intake of minerals due to disorders of the gut, and consumption of certain drugs such as glucocorticoids. Even smoking, consumption of alcohol and drinking soft drinks increases the risks of osteoporosis. Thus, preventive measures can be taken at various fronts to avoid this disorder. Note: If the hormone name ends in "one", that hormone builds bone.
Preventive Measures
One such preventive measure that a person can take is to supplement their diet with more amounts of calcium. Calcium is a very important mineral within the bone structure. It is actually responsible for the strength of the bone. In fact, loss of calcium is considered as demineralization, even though other minerals may or may not be lost. It is thus imperative to increase calcium intake in the body to avoid osteoporosis, and even to treat the disorder.
Absorption of calcium by the body is comparatively less. Thus taking large amounts of calcium orally is necessary. Also, an important point to note is that calcium absorption occurs only with the help of vitamin D. Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin cells itself on exposure to sunlight. However, it often becomes necessary for an osteoporotic patient to take additional vitamin D. Most commercially available calcium supplements have along with them vitamin D. The daily recommended dose for calcium to prevent osteoporosis is between 1000mg to 2000mg. Thus, significant intake of calcium is present.
Dietary Sources of Calcium
Calcium can be found in a number of food articles. These include green leafy
vegetables, dairy products, almonds, fish oils and even dried beans. Consuming a sufficient amount of these products daily can greatly increase the levels of calcium in the body and hence prevent loss of bone mineral density.
Supplemental Calcium
Calcium supplements come in a wide variety of chemical compounds, which contain calcium. These chemical compounds have different advantages as compared to each other. Often most calcium supplements contain a blend of these chemicals along with vitamin D supplement. The two main forms of calcium supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrates, although, many more are present.
- Calcium Carbonate: It is one of the most common supplements used. The supplement contains usually 40% of calcium. It is inexpensive and convenient to use. However, the absorption of calcium from calcium carbonate in the body is comparatively limited. This drawback means that a larger quantity of calcium carbonate has to be taken for an equivalent portion of it to be absorbed. Coral Calciun is a popular version of calcium carbonate.
- Calcium Citrate: After calcium carbonate, it is the most widely used calcium supplement. Although a little more expensive and containing only 21% of calcium per supplement, this compound has better absorption within the body. Hence, reduced quantities can be taken.
- Calcium Lactate: contains only 13% of calcium and hence, use of this compound is very limited. Most supplements contain little or no amounts of calcium lactate. This compound is however found in baking powder also; hence, baked products using this would be acting as supplements as well. It is also used in antacids.
- Calcium Gluconate: It contains 9.3% of calcium. Although a poor source of calcium, due to its neutral nature, it provides fewer side effects. Thus, it is often used in supplements in small quantities.
- Calcium Pyruvate: It's main benefit is to help you to lose weight by burning excess body fat. Studies have shown that women who take calcium pyruvate lose almost twice as much weight as women on the same diet who have not taken it. This supplement is also reported to help control energy loss, antioxidant activity, and even help reduce high blood pressure. The downside is that the studies were done with 75 grams per day, which is every expensive.
