J. Douglas Bremner
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 With normal aging, there is a decrease in calcium absorption by the stomach. Calcium is the major ingredient of bones, so with the age-related decrease in calcium absorption, there is a decrease in bone density. Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) increases calcium absorption in the gut, which has led to the common practice of prescribing calcium and vitamin D supplementation together for the prevention of hip fractures.
However, just because your bones will thin when you are in your sixties doesn't mean that taking calcium in your twenties or thirties will affect that. |
Hyla Cass
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 This heightened risk of osteoporosis is probably due to the drastic drop in calcium absorption that occurs with these drugs. Some experts believe that the drug itself may hamper the body's ability to build new bone.
Nutrients depleted: B12 depletion is listed as a side effect that may occur with long-term use. calcium absorption is reduced by these drugs as well.
Needed supplements: Calcium (1,000-1,200 mg) and vitamin B12 (200 meg). |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
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 Dairy foods: Phosphorus, found in dairy products, may inhibit calcium absorption by forming insoluble compounds with calcium ions. This binds the mineral into a form that is poorly absorbed through the intestinal wall. Clinical Management:
Calcium products should not be taken within 2 hours of a dairy product or other foods high in phosphorous.
Foods containing oxalic acid or phytic acid: Oxalic acid (found in foods such as spinach, parsley, rhubarb, and beans) and phytic acid (found in bran and whole cereals) may inhibit calcium absorption by forming insoluble compounds with calcium ions. |
J. Douglas Bremner
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| With normal aging, there is a decrease in calcium absorption by the stomach. Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) is known to increase calcium absorption in the gut as well as to act synergistically with calcium to promote bone density. This has led to the common practice of prescribing calcium and vitamin D supplementation for the prevention of hip fractures. It sounds so good and logical, and it can't hurt, so why not go ahead and do it?
Just because you become deficient in something with aging, however, doesn't mean that supplementation will correct the problem. |
Andreas Moritz
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 Thyroid disorders can also reduce calcium absorption and cause cataracts, as well as behavioral disorders and dementia. Poor calcium absorption, alone, is responsible for numerous diseases, including osteoporosis (loss of bone density). If circulatory problems disrupt the secretion of balanced amounts of insulin in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans, diabetes may develop.
Gallstones in the liver can cause liver cells to cut down protein synthesis. Reduced protein synthesis, in turn, prompts the adrenal glands to overproduce Cortisol, a hormone that stimulates protein synthesis. |
J. Douglas Bremner
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| Calcium is the major ingredient of bones, so with the age-related decrease in calcium absorption, there is a decrease in bone density. Vitamin D (cholecalciferol) increases calcium absorption in the gut, which has led to the common practice of prescribing calcium and vitamin D supplementation together for the prevention of hip fractures.
However, just because your bones will thin when you are in your sixties doesn't mean that taking calcium in your twenties or thirties will affect that. |
Hyla Cass, M.D.
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| This heightened risk of osteoporosis is probably due to the drastic drop in calcium absorption that occurs with these drugs. Some experts believe that the drug itself may hamper the body's ability to build new bone.
Nutrients depleted: B12 depletion is listed as a side effect that may occur with long-term use. calcium absorption is reduced by these drugs as well.
Needed supplements: Calcium (1,000-1,200 mg) and vitamin B12 (200 meg). |
Dr. Steve Blake
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 Not only is calcium absorption low, but losses are rather high. The first 400 mg of dietary calcium is needed just to cover normal losses. About 200 mg of unab-sorbed calcium from both the diet and from digestive juices is lost in the feces each day. The skin, hair, and nails lose an average of 60 mg daily, necessitating an additional intake of 200 mg (calculated at 30 percent absorption). Oxalates can bind to calcium and cause excretion, but this effect is not significant in most diets.
Calcium Supplements
Calcium in supplements is found in many forms. |
| Increases calcium absorption into bones.
(d) All of the above.
76. The chemical symbol for iron is:
(a) Hg.
(b) Mn.
(c) Fe.
(d) Zn.
77. Iron is in the center of:
(a) Heme.
(b) Chlorophyll.
(c) White blood cells.
(d) Pyruvic acid.
78. Myoglobin:
(a) Is found in blood.
(b) Is found in muscle.
(c) Acquires oxygen from the lungs.
(d) All of the above.
79. The body lowers blood levels of iron:
(a) During infections.
(b) After a meal with a large serving of spinach.
(c) During exercise.
(d) In summer months.
80. Iron:
(a) Is not stored in the body. |
| These transport proteins assist calcium absorption in the intestines. Dozens of genes in cells throughout the body are regulated with calcitriol. Calcitriol works with the retinoic acid form of vitamin A and thyroid hormone to produce important proteins.
Calcium and phosphorus levels in the blood are maintained by the hormone calcitriol. The kidneys release just enough calcitriol into the blood to regulate blood levels of these minerals.
Calcitriol Inhibits the Proliferation of Cells
Some tissues in the body are able to make their own calcitriol from calcidiol. |
| You may recall that vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption. If vitamin D levels are abnormally low, then blood calcium may also be low. In cases of severe alcoholism, low magnesium levels can cause bone loss. The cells in bones that dissolve calcium out of bones, osteoclasts, become unresponsive to parathyroid hormone without enough magnesium.
Calcium Depletion from Excess Sodium
Excess dietary sodium can impact calcium levels in the body. Americans cat an average of five grams of excess sodium each day. This is the average amount above the upper intake levels. |
| This is because calcium absorption from the intestines is not very efficient. Only about 30 percent of dietary calcium is absorbed from the intestines in adults (pregnant women and growing children are able to absorb about 50 percent of the calcium in food).
In some cases, the extra calcium lost in urine caused by excess sodium intake is not available from the food in the intestines. When dietary calcium is not available, this 86 mg of calcium must be removed from the bones. |
| If vitamin D is inadequate for long periods of time, lower levels of circulating calcidiol (the precursor form of vitamin D) may limit calcium absorption. Bone formation also requires vitamin K, vitamin A, magnesium, and potassium. Additionally, weight-bearing exercise helps strengthen bones.
The Food and Nutrition Board has set the AI levels high enough to compensate for extra protein, extra sodium, and low levels of vitamin D. Please refer to Table 9-1 for adequate intake levels for calcium. |
Bill Sardi
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 Nutrition Cancer 51:32-6, 2005]
2,200 IU (55 micrograms/day)
Required for optimal calcium absorption to prevent bone loss (60 nanomolar/liter blood concentration). [Journal Steroid Biochemistry Molecular Biology 97: 13-19, 2005]
4,000 IU
Safe daily intake level proven in recent study. [American Journal Clinical Nutrition 73:288-94, 2001] This dosage is probably the minimum that blacks and people living in northern climates should consume daily in winter months. Eventually 4000 IU is expected to be recommended universally for all adults. |
Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., C.N.S.
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 Rich in carotenoids, vitamins B, A, and D; good for calcium absorption.
3. Pomegranate: Rich in potassium and vitamin C, and has three times the antioxidants of red wine and green tea. Helps keep fatty deposits from collecting on arteries, thus preventing heart attacks, strokes, premature aging, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer.
4. Olive oil (extra virgin): A natural anti-inflammatory much like aspirin or ibuprofen. It reduces the risk of stroke, heart and cardiovascular disease, breast cancer, lung cancer, and some forms of dementia.
5. |
Hyla Cass, M.D.
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| Drugs That May Cause Constipation
Pain medications (especially narcotics)
Antacids that contain aluminum
Antispasmodic drugs (given for gastrointestinal cramping or diarrhea)
Antidepressant drugs
Tranquilizers
Iron supplements
Anticonvulsants for epilepsy
Drugs for Parkinson's disease
Calcium channel blockers (given to treat high blood pressure)
Calcium
Aluminum antacids, H2 blockers, and PPIs decrease calcium absorption from food. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, with the average male body containing 2. |
| Nutrients depleted: B12 depletion is listed as a side effect that may occur with long-term use. calcium absorption is reduced by these drugs as well.
Needed supplements: Calcium (1,000-1,200 mg) and vitamin B12 (200 meg).
NATURAL TREATMENTS FOR HYPOCHLORHYDRIA
If you stop your antacid medication too quickly, you will likely have rebound /zyperacidity, and you then will have too much acid to thank for your heartburn.
I ended up recommending to Corinne that she change to an OTC histamine blocker, like Zantac or Tagamet. |
Jack Challem
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 They may also reduce calcium absorption, which would explain the greater risk of having a hip fracture.
Recent studies have found that imbalances among different species of gut bacteria can increase the risk of obesity. The imbalances favor gut bacteria that help to break down otherwise indigestible food constituents, leading to the absorption of more calories. It is very possible that oral antibiotics, which disrupt gut bacteria, also promote obesity.
Supplements That Might Help to Reduce Your Risk of Heartburn and GERD
Heartburn and GERD are actually signs of an abused digestive tract. |
William Evans, Ph.D., and Irwin H. Rosenberg, M.D., with Jacqueline Thompson
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 This whole-body effect from our data suggests that exercise may help foster the body's calcium absorption. In this study we found the following: (1) The blood of the exercising women had higher concentrations of the active form of vitamin Dor 1,25-dihy-droxyvitamin D. This activated vitamin D aids in calcium absorption. (2) The trained women ate more carbohydrate, which is known to increase the body's calcium absorption. (3) The trained women had more growth hormone, which might increase calcium absorption and make bones stronger. |
Tori Hudson, N.D.
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 Even when calcium intake is the same between amenorrheic women and women who menstruate normally, there is a decrease in calcium absorption and an increase in calcium excretion in estrogen-deficient women. There is ample evidence that a lack of estrogen increases the daily calcium requirement.12 As a result, I recommend a higher-than-normal daily intake (1,200 to 1,500 mg per day) of either calcium carbonate or calcium citrate to maintain calcium balance in low-estrogen states in women of reproductive age. (For more information on osteoporosis, please see Chapter 14. |
Thomson Healthcare, Inc.
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| Foods containing oxalic acid or phytic acid: Oxalic acid (found in foods such as spinach, parsley, rhubarb, and beans) and phytic acid (found in bran and whole cereals) may inhibit calcium absorption by forming insoluble compounds with calcium ions. This binds the mineral into a form that is poorly absorbed through the intestinal wall. Clinical Management: Calcium products should not be taken within 2 hours of eating foods high in oxalic acid or phytic acid.
Iron: Concurrent use may result in reduced absorption of iron, although the effect is usually not clinically significant. |
| Heaney RP, Smith KT, Recker RR et al: Meal effects on calcium absorption. Am J Clin Nutr; 49(2):372-376. 1989
Hofstad B, Almendingen K, Vatn M et al: Growth and recurrence of colorectal polyps: a double-blind 3-year intervention with calcium and antioxidants. Digestion; 59(2): 148-156. 1998
Ivanovich P, Fellows H, Rich C: The absorption of calcium carbonate. Ann Intern Med; 66(5):917-923. 1967
Karanja N, Morris CD, Rufolo P et al: Impact of increasing calcium in the diet on nutrient consumption, plasma lipids, and lipoproteins in humans. Am J Clin Nutr; 59(4):900-907. |
Bill Sardi
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| The "acid-ash" hypothesis holds that high animal protein intake increases urinary calcium loss which is compensated for by increased calcium absorption in the digestive tract, given that there is sufficient calcium provided in the diet. This is where some doctors with an alternative bend began to develop a long list of diseases cured by calcium.
Cornell researchers say that limitation on meat consumption may do more to reduce the risk of osteoporosis than increasing calcium intake. |
Brigitte Mars, A.H.G.
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 Constituents
Beta-carotene, vitamin C, flavonoids (hesperidin, quercetin), anthraquinones (chrysophanol, rhein, emodin), oxalic acid, tartaric acid, potassium, phosphorous, tannins
Energetic Correspondences
Flavor: sour
Temperature: cool
Moisture: moist
Polarity: yin
Planet: Venus
Element: water/earth
Contraindications
Sheep's sorrel contains quite a bit of oxalic acid, which can lead to the formation of kidney stones and impair calcium absorption, so use on occasion rather than daily. |
Tori Hudson, N.D.
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| Probably the largest body of work established that there is a significant relationship among EFAs, the actions of vitamin D, the transport of calcium across the membrane, and an increase in membrane fluidity followed by an increase in calcium absorption.
As mentioned earlier in the nutrition section, deficiencies of EFAs modify bone fatty acid levels and have profound effects on the degree of mineralization of the bone. Animals fed EFA-deficient diets also develop osteoporosis. Evidence is also building that prostaglandins have an influence on bone metabolism. |
| I don't advocate avoiding these foods, but it is important to be aware that the oxalate contained in foods such as spinach and the phytates found in whole grains can inhibit calcium absorption.
Foods high in calcium include kelp, Swiss and cheddar cheese, carob flour, dulse, collard greens, turnip greens, molasses, almonds, brewer's yeast, parsley, corn tortillas, dandelion greens, Brazil nuts, watercress, goat's milk, tofu, dried figs, buttermilk, sunflower seeds, yogurt, beet greens, wheat bran, whole milk, buckwheat, sesame seeds, olives, broccoli, walnuts, cottage cheese, and spinach. |
| In addition, it may be that as women age and have lower stomach acid production, lower fat absorption, and take in less vitamin D due to less exposure to sunshine and decreased fat absorption, calcium citrate may be a better choice to combat these compromising effects on calcium absorption. In most women, though, especially in perimenopausal women and postmenopausal women up to age 65, there is no known best form. Calcium carbonate is absorbed well when taken with food. Calcium citrate can be taken with food or on an empty stomach, making it more flexible as to timing of your supplement regime. |
| Women older than 70 face other challenges that may accelerate their bone loss again such as increasing age and secondary hyperparathyroidism due to a drop in calcium absorption.
In women who have premature menopause (at or before age 40), whether spontaneous or by medical causes such as having both ovaries removed, chemotherapy, or pelvic radiation, there is a greater risk of low BMD compared to other women their age who are not menopausal. |
| The role of essential fatty acids has largely been ignored in relation to osteoporosis despite animal and human studies indicating that EFAs enhance calcium absorption, enhance the effects of vitamin D, reduce urinary calcium excretion, increase bone calcium, reduce ectopic calcification elsewhere, and increase bone protein synthesis and bone strength.
The first published paper that clearly described the relevance of EFAs on calcium showed that in EFA-deficient animals, the kidneys became highly calcified, apparently because of a shift of calcium from the bones. |
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