Description
Calcium carbonate: take it with food
This is the practical fact that decides how well this bottle works for you. The calcium here is calcium carbonate, and carbonate needs stomach acid to dissolve. Taken with a meal it absorbs well; taken on an empty stomach it absorbs poorly. The other common form, calcium citrate, does not depend on stomach acid — which is why citrate is often suggested for people on long-term acid-reducing medication.
How much do you actually need?
The recommended daily amount for adults is 1000 mg, rising to 1200 mg for women from age 51 and men from 71. That total includes food, and food is where most people already get most of it. A supplement is meant to close the remaining gap, not to supply the whole number — adding a full daily requirement on top of a calcium-rich diet is how people end up well past what they need.
One more absorption detail: the body handles calcium best in amounts of 500 mg or less at a time. This tablet is 600 mg, which is why the label direction is one tablet once or twice daily rather than several at once. Spacing them out gets more of it in.
What else is in it
- 400 IU (10 mcg) vitamin D3 per tablet — vitamin D is what allows calcium to be absorbed at all, which is why the two are paired.
- 220 tablets — over seven months at one a day, about three and a half at two a day. That is roughly 5 to 11 cents a day depending on which the label directs for you.
- USP Verified — an independent check that the contents match the label.
- Gluten free, no artificial flavors.
Calcium can interfere with the absorption of some prescriptions, including certain thyroid medicines and antibiotics. Separating them by a few hours usually solves it, but ask your pharmacist about your specific list.
Not sure whether you have a gap to fill? Start here — a blood test answers it, a bottle does not.
These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. Talk to your healthcare provider or pharmacist before starting a supplement, especially if you take prescription medication.