Though the Linus Pauling Institute Micronutrient Information Center states that most experts recommend dietary calcium over supplementary calcium, there may be times that your diet falls short of supplying the recommended daily amount of this essential mineral. Calcium supplements come in several preparations, calcium lactate being one of them.
What is Calcium Lactate?
Calcium lactate is calcium, an inorganic mineral, bound to an organic acid called lactate. Supplements that are bound to such acids are known as chelated compounds. Chelated calcium has advantages over unchelated varieties, according to New York University's Langone Medical Center, but can also be more expensive and harder to swallow, because the pills tend to be larger.
Calcium Supplements and Elemental Calcium
Trying to pack 100 percent of the daily recommended daily amount of calcium into a single tablet would result in a pill that's too large to swallow, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Columbia University's Health Q&A Internet Service states that calcium is easier to absorb in small dosages of 500 mg of elemental calcium at a time. The adequate intake of elemental calcium is 1,000 mg per day for those between the age of 19 and 50.
Elemental Calcium in Calcium Lactate Supplements
Different forms of calcium supplement deliver different percentages of usable elemental calcium, and in reading labels, you should pay attention to the amount of elemental calcium listed in the nutrition information. If your calcium lactate supplement doesn't specify the amount of elemental calcium in the product, you can calculate it yourself. In a calcium lactate supplement, 13 percent of the dosage is elemental calcium. If you take a 1,000 mg calcium lactate supplement, you will consume 130 mg of elemental calcium.
Effects of Calcium Lactate
Calcium is the most common mineral in your body. Most of it is found in your teeth and bones, but a small percentage circulates in your blood or is found in your soft tissue. Mineral supplements such as calcium lactate are used to prevent mineral deficiencies.
Considerations
Calcium lactate should not be taken without a doctor's approval if you are taking other medications, because drug interactions can result. Calcium lactate can cause side effects such as nausea, vomiting, decreased appetite, constipation and increased urination. This supplement is best taken with food and should be stored in a dry location at room temperature.
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