Can Calcium Be Absorbed When Taking Multivitamins?

Calcium is an essential mineral, meaning that your body cannot produce it on its own. It is the most abundant mineral in your body. Your can still absorb calcium even if you take multivitamins to boost your intake of other nutrients. The composition of the multivitamin can affect how much calcium you are able to absorb, however.

Helpful Nutrients

Some aspects of the multivitamin you consume can increase the amount of calcium you absorb. Vitamin D is one nutrient you must have in your diet to absorb calcium. This is because vitamin D is necessary for your body to produce calbindin, the protein that bonds with calcium and carries it through the cells in your intestinal tract into your bloodstream. Calcium also requires an acidic environment for absorption to take place, so multivitamins with nutrients that promote stomach acid secretion, such as vitamin C, can also help you make the most of the calcium you eat.

Interfering Nutrients

The minerals phosphorus and magnesium can limit how well your body absorbs calcium, according to the Linus Pauling Institute. This is because these nutrients also need vitamin D for absorption, and increasing their intake through a multivitamin means that less vitamin D will be available for calcium absorption. Less common nutrients that may be present in your multivitamin, such as oxalic acid and phytates, may bond with calcium in your stomach and prevent its absorption.

Calcium Deficiency Signs

Calcium deficiency is rare because your bones contain a significant amount of the nutrient, even if you are not absorbing much of it from the foods you are eating. If you have low vitamin D levels, develop osteoporosis, have high blood pressure or experience severe premenstrual syndrome symptoms, however, it is possible you may not be absorbing enough calcium in your diet. Speak to your doctor about a potential calcium absorption problem and do not attempt to self-treat the issue by increasing your calcium intake, as this may lead to a deficiency in other minerals or the development of kidney stones.

Retaining Calcium

Once you have absorbed calcium into your bloodstream, keeping it there will lower the amount you need to absorb on a daily basis for healthy bones. Limiting the amount of caffeine, alcohol and soda you consume can decrease the amount of calcium you excrete from your body. Avoid laxatives or anything else that causes a loose stool, such as excess dietary fiber. Long-term use of corticosteroids for asthma, arthritis and psoriasis can gradually decrease your calcium levels, thus making it necessary for better calcium absorption and likely supplementation.