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Medications That Block Calcium Absorption

Dec 10, 2010 | By Maryann Gromisch

You need calcium for strong bones and teeth. This essential mineral helps muscles and blood vessels contract and expand, aids in the secretion of hormones and enzymes and is important in the relay of impulses within the nervous system. A well-balanced diet that includes dairy, green leafy vegetables and salmon will provide you with enough calcium. If you suffer from constipation or have high cholesterol or are being treated for acid reflux, you may be taking medications that block the amount of calcium that your body absorbs.

Laxatives

Most of the calcium that comes from the food you eat is absorbed in the small intestine and then transported to the bloodstream. Vitamin D must be present in the intestines for this process to occur. Your body stores 99 percent of this calcium in your bones and teeth. A person who experiences constipation may choose to use a non-prescription laxative. Bulk-forming laxatives include psyllium, polycarbophil and methylcellulose, which all contain fiber. Saline laxatives, such as milk of magnesia, soften stools and aid in passing waste out of the body. Stimulant laxatives stimulate bowel contractions to eliminate stool. Laxatives move digested food through the intestinal tract too quickly for proper calcium absorption to occur.

Bile Acid Sequestrants

One class of cholesterol-lowering medications, called bile acid sequestrants, binds to the cholesterol-containing bile acids found in the intestinal tract and eliminates them in the stool. These medications reduce LDL, or low density lipoprotein, levels. The three main bile acid sequestrants are cholestyramine, colestipol, and colesevelam. They may interfere with the normal absorption of calcium. If you are taking a bile acid sequestrant, talk to your physician about the possible interference with calcium absorption.

Acid Blocking Medications

The first phase of calcium absorption begins in the stomach and requires an acidic environment. If you suffer from heartburn or acid reflux, your physician may order a proton pump inhibitor, or acid-blocking medication. This class of drug blocks the secretion of acid in the stomach. A limited study reported in the July 2005 issue of the "American Journal of Medicine" was conducted on 18 elderly women and looked at the effect of acid-blocking medications on calcium absorption. The research team found that the women who took acid-blocking medication along with a calcium supplement experienced a 41 percent decrease in calcium absorption in comparison to the women who took a placebo and the same calcium supplement. The effect of acid-blocking medications on calcium absorption increases the risk for bone loss and fractures.

References

Article reviewed by Mia Paul Last updated on: Dec 10, 2010

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