To maintain your bone strength throughout your life, you need vitamin D, calcium and other minerals every day. It's best to get these bone-building nutrients from food, but if there's a chance you're not getting enough, adding a supplement such as Citracal Plus can help ensure healthy bones and reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis.
Citracal is a line of calcium supplements produced by Bayer. The line, designed to promote bone health, includes two Citracal Plus products, Citracal Plus Magnesium and Citracal Plus Bone Density Builder.
Common Ingredients
Both Citracal Plus products provide calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, copper, manganese and zinc, but in different amounts. Elemental calcium for bone strength is delivered in the form of calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. Your body must have enough vitamin D to properly absorb calcium, and both blends have large amounts of this essential vitamin. Copper is needed for connective tissue and bone formation. Manganese is a mineral required for the synthesis of structural components of bone and cartilage. Zinc is a trace element that must be present for many biochemical processes, including those that ensure healthy growth and development.
Citracal Plus Magnesium
Citracal Plus Magnesium has 500 mg of elemental calcium in the form of calcium citrate and 250 IU of vitamin D, according to Citracal.com. This represents 50 percent of the recommended daily value of calcium and 63 percent of vitamin D, based on a 2,000-calorie diet. Citracal Plus Magnesium contributes extra magnesium for bone health. Throughout your life, new bone constantly replaces old bone. Magnesium assists the ongoing process of building bone and contributes to overall bone density. It's also important because a deficiency in magnesium can cause your level of calcium to drop. The recommended daily allowance for magnesium is 400 to 420 mg for adult men and 310 to 320 mg for women, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. Citracal Plus Magnesium provides 80 mg of magnesium, or 20 percent.
Citracal Plus Bone Density Builder
This blend has 600 mg of elemental calcium in the form of calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. It has 400 IU, or 100 percent of the daily value of vitamin D and 50 mg of magnesium. Citracal Plus Bone Density Builder has another ingredient called genistein. As a phytoestrogen found in soybeans, genistein acts like natural estrogen, helping to prevent osteoporosis by improving bone density. It may also assist bone development, according to New York University.
