A question about calcium tablets

[cassiesmom]

Dear PT, can anyone help me with calcium supplements? After I broke my ankle my doctor told me to go get a bone scan. Yesterday I got a call from the nurse that the bone scan showed moderate osteopenia. I am to take 1.2 grams of calcium per day and 400 IU of vitamin D. She didn't say if I should use Tums or Rolaids, Citracal, Os-Cal, Caltrate or specifically what type of calcium I should buy. I found a multivitamin with iron that contains 400 IU of vitamin D, which is 100% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance. If I improve my diet do I still need to take calcium? I really don't want this to progress to osteoporosis.

I am also to start weight-bearing exercise. I can't wait till the weather gets better so I can walk outside. For now I guess I'll be walking at the mall.


Thanks,
Elyse

[Husky_mom]

I´m not sure.. but I do know that prolongued use of tums, rolaids, etc... might develop in hypercalcemia... and turn into stones.. (bladder or something)

also if a multivitamin has already 100% of USRDA... not sure but i don´t think you should stop eating "x" thing because it also has vitamin D... just like with orange juice if you drink a glass an it supposedly has, I don´t know, let´s say 60 % vitamin C but you also took a tablet of Vit C with 100% USDRA... then the extra just gets out of your system via urine, etc... but not sure how vit. D works...

[emily_the_spoiled]

You should still take the calcium tablets even if you improve your diet. In our Western diet it is extremely difficult to get sufficient levels of calcium just from food. Most people still need a supplement. If you are already taking a multivitamin with D in it, you can just take a plain calcium tablet (with no D).

Husky_mom is correct, you really should not be taking that much Tums or Rolaids for an extended period of time. So you are better off with the pills. The good thing is that it really doesn't matter what brand you are taking. You just want to take 2 pills a day of Calcium 600mg. Personally I buy the really big containers (250 pills), so it will last me awhile.

Good luck with this. This is definitely one condition that prevention is the better option than treatment.

[pomtzu]

The accepted standard supplement is 600 mg calcium and 400U vitamin 3 times per day with meals, tho I take 4 doses each day. You can get these over the counter in the vitamin dept anywhere in a combination tablet. I don't believe Tums or Rolaids is going to be as beneficial.
Even if you improve your diet, it probably won't be good enough, and you should still add a supplement if your doctor has recommended it.
Osteoporosis is no picnic - it's silent and painless - until it rears it's ugly head. I have severe osteoporosis and have had several bone fracture in the past few years. My orthopaedic surgeon said if my bones get any more porous, that he won't be able to see them on an x-ray! Unfortunately I can't take any of the prescription bone building drugs, and they're still working to find something that I can take that will work.

[Grace]

Definitely take the calcium. I take 1200mg per day, in two divided doses. The body will only absorb so much at one time, so make sure you take the doses several hours apart.

I take plain calcium tabs with Vit D. I also take another 800mg of Vitamin D per day on the recommendation of my doctor.

5 years ago I had Osteopenia in my spine. Now it is reversed thanks to the extra calcium and doing weight-bearing exercises 5 days/week.

[beeniesmom]

Definitely take the calcium. I take 1200mg per day, in two divided doses. The body will only absorb so much at one time, so make sure you take the doses several hours apart.

Me too. That's what my dr. reccomended for the pregnancy.

[shepgirl]

I have been on Didro-Cal for the last ten years because of several fractures and bone density loss. The daily dosage is 1500mg so maybe over the counter stuff won't give you enough. Could your doctor recommend something? Even a pharmacist would be able to give you a pretty good answer to this.

[Queen of Poop]

I too am taking 1200 mg of calcium daily, per my doctor and ok'd by my nutritionist. I also take extra vitamin D as I was found severely deficient at my check up last year.

[moosmom]

I'm on Calcium with Vitamin D for Osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis in my right thigh). I'm due for another bone density test soon.

[cassiesmom]

Dear PT, can anyone help me with calcium supplements? After I broke my ankle my doctor told me to go get a bone scan. Yesterday I got a call from the nurse that the bone scan showed moderate osteopenia. I am to take 1.2 grams of calcium per day and 400 IU of vitamin D. She didn't say if I should use Tums or Rolaids, Citracal, Os-Cal, Caltrate or specifically what type of calcium I should buy. I found a multivitamin with iron that contains 400 IU of vitamin D, which is 100% of the U.S. recommended daily allowance. If I improve my diet do I still need to take calcium? I really don't want this to progress to osteoporosis.

I am also to start weight-bearing exercise. I can't wait till the weather gets better so I can walk outside. For now I guess I'll be walking at the mall.


Thanks,
Elyse

Well, I goofed. I am to take 1.2 grams of calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D (not 400 IU). I have mint-flavored Tums on hand, 400mg each, so I'm just going to use those up first. They have a terrible after-taste but I hate to rush out and purchase another calcium when I have this on hand. I'll ask the pharmacist about the vitamin D. Thank you, everyone for helping me sort this out!

[K9karen]

I have the same condition. I've taken almost every calcium tablet made, but it makes me so sick to my tummy, I stopped. My bad. Even Viactin, yummy caramel didn't help (though now they sell dissolving strips). Even the once a month stuff. My last physical revealed I had NO vitamin D in my system. So I tried again, and found that Oscal works great. No problems. I take 2 a day plus extra Vitamin D 400U's 3-4 x a day. I noticed a difference within a week. I felt much better, although I wasn't aware I didn't feel great until then.