Postmenopausal women, the lactose intolerant, vegetarians and female athletes are examples of people who are at risk for a calcium deficiency, states the Office of Dietary Supplements. Your calcium intake is important for your health. Calcium provides support for bones and helps to regulate your heart rate, nerves, muscles and hormones. If you are at risk for a calcium deficiency, consider taking one of the most readily available supplements, calcium citrate or carbonate.
Absorption
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, in a normal and healthy person, both types of calcium supplements are equally absorbable. What you might want to consider is the amount of elemental calcium that each includes. This is the amount of calcium that will be usable by your body. In general, calcium carbonate contains 40 percent of elemental calcium, while calcium citrate contains 21 percent. This means you can take less calcium carbonate for the amount of calcium you need.
Considerations
If you have an issue producing stomach acid, you may consider taking calcium citrate over calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is best broken down under conditions of high stomach acid. Calcium citrate is already acidic, so it does not need a large amount of stomach acid. Therefore, if you have a reduction in stomach acid, pick calcium citrate over calcium carbonate.
Factors
Your physiology, as well as your diet, can affect the absorption of calcium. As you age, calcium absorption reduces, states the Office of Dietary Supplements. Your intake of vitamin D plays a role in calcium absorption. The more you have, the better calcium is absorbed. Foods that contain phytic acid and oxalic acid bind to calcium molecules in the digestive system and inhibit its absorption. These foods include spinach, beans, greens, sweet potatoes, nuts and bran.
Recommendations
Recommendations for dietary calcium vary by age. An adolescent between 14 and 18 years needs the most and should consume 1,300 mg per day. An adult 50 or under needs 1,000 mg per day. As you age, your needs increase back up to 1,200 mg per day for those over 50. Always consult with your doctor before taking any supplement, including calcium.
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