If you're an adult and don't consume the recommended 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium each day, your doctor may suggest adding a calcium supplement, such as calcium citrate malate, to your diet. Unlike other forms of calcium, which must be taken with food, calcium citrate malate is water soluble and is readily absorbed by your body even without food. Before you begin treatment with this supplement, talk with your doctor about the benefits and risks associated with calcium citrate malate.
Benefits
Your body uses calcium to help keep your teeth and bones healthy and strong. Calcium is also involved in nerve signaling, proper heart function and muscle contraction and relaxation. Treatment with a calcium supplement, such as calcium citrate malate, helps boost your calcium levels and may also help prevent or treat certain health conditions such as high blood pressure, osteoporosis, premenstrual syndrome, rickets, high cholesterol, obesity and hypoparathyroidism, which is a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of parathyroid hormone. Additional research in humans is necessary to fully validate the purported uses of calcium supplements.
Side Effects
Though calcium citrate malate is water-soluble, the side effects associated with this form of calcium typically mimic those elicited by other types of calcium, such as calcium carbonate. The most common adverse effects associated with calcium supplements include stomach discomfort and constipation. Excessive or prolonged treated with calcium citrate malate may significantly elevate your calcium levels, leading to a condition called hypercalcemia. Symptoms caused by high blood levels of calcium include diminished appetite, unintended weight loss, weakness, fatigue, heart rate irregularities, bone or muscle pain, headache, increased thirst or frequent urination, warns MayoClinic.com. Seek additional care from your physician if you exhibit any of these adverse side effects following treatment with calcium citrate malate.
Medication Interactions
Talk with your doctor about any medications or supplements you are currently taking before you begin treatment with this type of calcium supplement. Concomitant use of calcium citrate malate and estrogen or diuretics may increase the levels of calcium in your body, leading to hypercalcemia. Alternatively, taking calcium supplements and anti-seizure medications may reduce the amount of calcium in your body, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Additionally, calcium may prevent your body from appropriately absorbing certain medications, such as antibiotics and alendronate. Calcium citrate malate should not be taken in conjunction with antacids that contain aluminum as this combination of supplements may cause aluminum toxicity.
Contraindications
If you have any pre-existing health conditions, talk with your physician before taking calcium citrate malate. People who are at risk for high calcium levels, such as those with kidney disease, sarcoidosis, cancer or hyperparathyroidism, should not take calcium citrate malate supplements. Do not take this supplement if you have a personal history of kidney stones, as use of calcium supplements may increase your risk of developing kidney stones. Additionally, if you have a personal or family history of prostate cancer, consult your medical provider before taking this supplement. Though additional research is necessary, several studies cited by the UMMC report that increased calcium intake may be associated with an increased risk of developing prostate cancer.
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