Calcium
From a young age, we’ve been told to drink our milk, whether it was our moms not letting us
leave the dinner table until our glasses were empty, or today, milk-mustachioed celebrities
ballyhooing its benefits.
Well, mom and those celebrities are right. Milk, with its abundance of calcium and
beneficial vitamins, does do a body good. As the most calcium-dense food on Earth, milk
helps build strong bones and maintain immune function, and some think it may aid in weight
loss.
But when dairy and your body don’t agree, getting the recommended 1,000-1,300 mg of calcium
a day becomes a bit more difficult. In fact, since the average American diet contains only
800 mg of calcium, it seems that more than just the lactose-intolerant are neglecting to
follow their mom’s milk advice.
Here’s where supplements can swoop in to the rescue. Simply pop a 500-mg calcium pill
daily, and–presto–you’re halfway to the minimum recommended daily amount of 1,000 mg per
day. Or you are until you find yourself standing in front of the shelves at your local
store, eyes slowly glazing over at the array of calcium varieties. Carbonate … citrate …
lactate … how to choose?
Luckily, the answer is elementary, as in the amount of elemental calcium in each. Since
supplements are not completely made of calcium, it’s good to know how much of the element is
in the supplement you choose. Below are the approximate amounts of elemental calcium each
formula has, according to the Physician’s Desk Reference:
* calcium carbonate: 40%
* calcium phosphate: 40%
* calcium citrate: 21%
* calcium lactate: 13%
* calcium gluconate: 9%
Sure makes shopping easier.