I spent a lot of money on calcium supplements, but the effect was very poor? Many people don’t know these calcium supplements

As the body ages, bone calcium will gradually be lost, bone density will decrease, and osteoporosis will easily occur. Especially for women after menopause, because estrogen drops precipitously, bone calcium loss is faster.

Calcium supplementation is a routine health care that almost every elderly person should do. However, Huazi found that although many elderly people know about calcium supplementation, they are not very clear about the knowledge of calcium supplementation and are prone to misunderstandings about calcium supplementation. As a result, they spend a lot of money on calcium supplementation, but the effect is very poor.

1. What kind of calcium tablets should I choose?

When choosing calcium tablets, the first thing to consider is the calcium content. According to the "Survey Report on Nutrition and Health Status of Chinese Residents", the average calcium intake of Chinese residents is only 388.8 mg, far below the recommended daily calcium intake of 800 mg. The elderly have weakened digestive function and actually need more calcium. Therefore, to make up for the calcium "gap", it is more reasonable to supplement about 600 mg of calcium per day.

Vitamin D can promote calcium absorption, so it is best to choose calcium tablets containing vitamin D. The compound calcium tablets of calcium carbonate and vitamin D, which are high in calcium content and cheap in price, are the most cost-effective to meet this requirement.

However, calcium carbonate requires gastric acid to be absorbed and is somewhat irritating to the gastric mucosa. Some elderly people have poor digestive function and insufficient gastric acid, or experience stomach discomfort, bloating, and constipation after taking calcium carbonate. You can also choose organic calcium such as calcium citrate, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, and amino acid chelated calcium, which have less gastrointestinal irritation and can be absorbed without gastric acid.

However, organic calcium has a low content and a high price. If you want to make up for the calcium "gap", you need to take more pills, which is expensive. In fact, every 100ml of milk contains about 90mg~120mg of calcium, so if the elderly can drink one pound of milk (500ml) a day, they can make up for the calcium and do not need to take additional calcium tablets.

2. When to take calcium tablets

Gastric acid can promote the absorption of calcium, and the human intestine has an upper limit on the absorption of calcium per unit time, so calcium tablets are more effective when taken with meals. This is because food stimulates gastric acid secretion, and calcium tablets mixed with food will increase the retention time in the intestine, which can increase the amount of absorption.

It is not recommended to take calcium tablets on an empty stomach to reduce irritation to the gastric mucosa and avoid adverse reactions such as gastrointestinal discomfort. The body's blood calcium level decreases at night, so it is best to take calcium tablets at dinner. If you are not used to taking medicine with meals, you can also take it 30 minutes after dinner. If you need to take calcium tablets twice a day, the other time can be taken at breakfast or 30 minutes after breakfast.

3. Will calcium supplementation increase kidney stones and vascular calcification?

Many people asked Huazi whether calcium supplementation would increase the risk of kidney stones and vascular calcification. Huazi said that as long as calcium supplementation is reasonable and not excessive, there will be no problem. The main component of kidney stones is calcium oxalate, and abnormal oxalate metabolism is the main cause of kidney stones.

When supplementing calcium, the elderly should pay attention to drinking more water, urinating more, eating less salt and animal offal, maintaining a reasonable weight, controlling blood sugar and blood uric acid, avoiding urinary tract infections, etc., to prevent the occurrence of kidney stones.

In the study of calcium supplementation on vascular calcification, it was found that as long as calcium supplementation is reasonable and the daily calcium intake does not exceed 2400 mg, the risk of vascular calcification will not increase. The elderly can effectively prevent vascular calcification by controlling the "three highs" and delaying atherosclerosis.

4. Treating osteoporosis cannot rely solely on calcium supplementation

For people who already have obvious osteoporosis, calcium supplementation alone is not an effective treatment, and other drugs must be used in combination according to the actual situation. For example, for menopausal women, because of the sudden drop in estrogen levels, osteoclast activity is particularly strong, and bone calcium is lost very quickly. Calcium supplementation is only the basis of treatment, and bisphosphonates, estrogen and other drugs are also needed to inhibit osteoclast activity in order to effectively treat osteoporosis.

Some elderly people have very low levels of active vitamin D in their bodies, and their ability to synthesize it is reduced. The vitamin D contained in calcium tablets is still not enough. They need additional active vitamin D to effectively promote calcium absorption.

In summary, the elderly should understand calcium supplementation knowledge, choose calcium tablets that are suitable for them, and understand the appropriate time to take calcium tablets. To take calcium tablets reasonably, you must make up for the "gap" but not take too much. If you already have obvious symptoms of osteoporosis such as back pain, it is recommended to take medication under the guidance of a doctor. If you have any questions about medication, please consult a doctor or pharmacist. I am pharmacist Huazi, welcome to follow me and share more health knowledge.