Lactate is a "salt or ester of lactic acid," the MedlinePlus online medical dictionary explains, meaning that calcium lactate is a calcium salt of lactic acid, the Vegetarian Resource Group website elaborates. This can be somewhat confusing because "lactate" and "lactose" sound similar. Neither lactate or lactic acid is found in milk. If you are lactose-intolerant, this information is important.
Significance
Calcium is essential to good bone and cardiovascular health. The Harvard School of Public Health reports that in the United States, osteoporosis, or weak bones, results in 1.5 million fractures and 300,000 broken hips each year. These figures include both men and women --- calcium is essential for good health for everyone including children. If you are elderly or have reduced mobility, a fracture can lead to a significant decline in your health based on complications from surgery and immobility.
Considerations
There are two schools of thought on milk, Harvard explains. The pro-milk side suggests drinking at least three glasses of milk per day to help prevent osteoporosis and other problems associated with calcium deficiency. The anti-dairy group, meanwhile, suggests that consuming dairy products rich in calcium does not really affect or reduce the fracture rate --- adding that dairy in your diet may contribute to heart disease or prostate cancer. Finally, if you are lactose-intolerant, vegan or follow a dairy-free diet for cultural or religious reasons, milk is not an option for you.
Misconceptions
Confusion is common on the difference between lactate and lactose, a milk sugar. The Vegetarian Resource Group explains that words with "lac" generally describe products that are the result of a fermentation process using beet sugar or cornstarch --- substances common among U.S. manufacturers. This results in calcium lactate supplements that are not milk-based. Whey is a milk byproduct that can be used in fermentation, but it is restricted to dairy-based products such as certain types of cheese.
Types
In addition to calcium lactate, other fermented calcium supplements include calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate and calcium sulfate. These products do not contain milk or any other dairy products. One dairy-based product, sterol lactate, is made using stearic acid; its use of animal fat byproducts make it unacceptable in a vegan diet, the Vegetarian Resource Center warns. U.S. manufacturers of calcium lactate, including Archer Daniels Midland and Purac America, both use fermented vegetable products. The former uses hydrolyzed cornstarch, the latter beet sugar.
Expert Insight
In noting that debate over which type of calcium is best continues in 2010, Harvard cites various meta-analyses of data on the issue, which call into question even the amount of calcium required per day for optimum benefits. Harvard also cites randomized clinical trials that compared calcium supplements to placebos --- studies revealing that the calcium supplements did not protect against fractures. There was even the suggestion that calcium taken in the absence of vitamin D might increase the risk of hip fracture.
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