This calcium stuff is complicated!

True, you should never rely on just one source for correct information, especially if they are trying to sell you something, but at least that page got me thinking.



After a more refined search this is what I've come up with.

Calcium carbonate is more insoluble and harder to break down. It requires an acidic environment to do so (should be taken with food). Calcium citrate, although not contianing as much elemental calcium is more soluble and does not require an acidic environment to break down. I had a hard time finding more out about calcium lactate, but I do know that there is a supplement called Calcium Powder Plus that can be used for reptiles. I believe that calcium lactate also does not require an acidic environment to break down. The following quote was taken from

http://www.tortoisetrust.org/articles/calcium.htm:



"Calcium carbonate has the highest concentration of calcium by weight (40%), whereas calcium citrate has 21% calcium and calcium phosphate has 8% calcium by weight. Although calcium carbonate has the highest concentration of calcium by weight, this form of calcium is relatively insoluble, especially at a neutral pH. In contrast, calcium citrate, although containing about half as much calcium by weight, is a more soluble form of calcium. Certain preparations of calcium (e.g., bone meal, dolomite) may contain contaminants such as lead, aluminum, arsenic, mercury, and cadmium. Significant amounts were identified in calcium carbonate supplements labeled oyster shell, for example. Chronic intake of these supplements may pose an unnecessary risk. Most commercial calcium preparations are tested for heavy metal contamination."



Next quote from

http://www.oralchelation.com/calcium/boneupa.htm



"How Does Calcium Get Inside Your Body?



The easiest way for some substance to get absorbed into the body is if that substance will dissolve in water, and the dissolved ingredient is broken down into the size of individual atoms. That is what happens for some forms of calcium, but not, unfortunately, calcium carbonate.

Calcium carbonate will not dissolve in pure water. It will dissolve, however, if there is acid in the water. So, we begin to see that when there is acid present, calcium can be dissolved – when it is dissolved, it can be absorbed. One very important acid in the body is hydrochloric acid (HCl) produced in the stomach to help digest (dissolve) food particles.

Some calcium carbonate is dissolved by the stomach acids – but it’s a slow process. If the stomach empties the calcium out, into the intestines before much dissolving has gone on, then most of the calcium will be wasted.

Calcium carbonate is NOT a useful source of calcium if you want efficient absorption from the intestines into the blood stream.

More soluble forms of calcium include calcium citrate, calcium lactate and calcium aspartate. These forms of calcium would be more easily absorbed into the body than calcium carbonate, but even they are absorbed slowly compared to the special type of calcium described later in this article.

Since calcium carbonate is so common on the earth, it is very cheap and it is one of the most common forms of calcium supplement which people take. You’d be wasting your money on it.

Only 10 percent of the calcium in our bones is in the form of calcium carbonate. The most important calcium in bones is in the form called calcium phosphate – a combination of calcium and phosphorus. But, calcium phosphate is not easily absorbed into the body, either."



Next quote from http://www.healthlink.mcw.edu/article/964794298.html



"In the article you sent me from the November, 1999 issue of The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Howard J. Heller, MD and his colleagues compared the calcium absorption of Citracal (a calcium citrate formulation) and Os-Cal (a calcium carbonate one) after a single oral dose (500 mg calcium), taken with a meal. By measuring blood levels of calcium, they demonstrated that calcium citrate is 2.5 times more bioavailable (easier for your body to use) than calcium carbonate."





Other websites to check:

http://ag.arizona.edu/maricopa/fcs/bb/supps.htm

http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ext_f&n/_timely/calcium.htm

http://www.bpventure.com/calcium.html

http://www.kcwlsfriends.homestead.com/calciumandwls.html

http://www.healthcastle.com/calciumcarbonate-calciumcitrate.shtml



Hope I have given people some food for thought. Sorry I don't have any concrete answers. I'll keep looking.

Jessica

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