Calcium supplements are taken by individuals to enhance calcium availability for bone tissue support and health. The dietary intake of calcium in most industrialized nations is low, possibly leading to an increased risk of osteoporosis in certain genders and ethnic groups. Calcium is needed to maintain strong bones, especially with increased aging, as your body pulls on your bone calcium to support muscle contractions, nerve function and maintain heart rhythm and contractions.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D has been approved in the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis. Calcitriol or cholecalciferol is the form of vitamin D found in many over-the-counter supplements used to enhance calcium absorption and deposition in your bones. Your skin, when exposed to natural, unfiltered sunlight, manufactures cholecalciferol which helps enhance calcium absorption. The John Hopkins Medical Letter: "Health After 50," has recommended calcium supplements with vitamin D to reduce the risk of hip fractures and bone loss in postmenopausal women.
Forms of Calcium
Calcium supplements come in various forms with the addition of a salt to form the pill. Calcium carbonate and citrate are all forms of calcium that are approved for osteoporosis treatment. Citracal is a highly recommended calcium supplement because it contains calcium citrate, which doesn't require stomach acid for absorption and can be taken on an empty stomach. Calcium carbonate is the most abundant calcium supplement, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Calcium carbonate is just as effective as calcium citrate and other calcium supplements in increasing calcium density of your bones.
Strontium
In Europe, the mineral strontium ranelate is approved for osteoporosis treatment, but isn't available in the United States, as stated by Nutritional Biochemistry, Inc. The mineral has an affinity for bone health by increasing bone mass and decreasing calcium losses. Doses between 500 to 2,000 mg are shown to improve bone density. Strontium is a heavier element in comparison to calcium and reflects the imaging medium used to X-ray bone density more than calcium. Strontium can increase the appearance of bone density without making bones stronger if strontium is the primary mineral in your bones. Speak with your health care provider before using strontium containing supplements to improve your bone health.
Soy Isoflavones
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved soy isoflavones to support bone mineral density and can be found in calcium supplements. Soy isoflavones act as weaker estrogens and protect bone mineral density by decreasing calcium losses much like estrogen seen in pre-menopausal females. Studies haven't clinical shown consistent data of soy isoflavones in improving bone density, despite the FDA approving its use and manufacturers including isoflavones in calcium supplements.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K, specifically menaquinone-7 or MK-7 participates in increasing protein activity that decreases calcification of artery walls by increasing calcium deposition in the bone, according to research reviewed by the Linus Pauling Institute with Oregon State University. Forms of vitamin K2, which menaquinone and menatetrenone are classified under, play a role in calcium absorption by bones. In Japan, menatetrenone or MK-4 is currently used to treat osteoporosis and is under investigation in the United States as a therapy for osteoporosis.
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