Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and is needed for a number of functions throughout the body. Although calcium is found in various foods, some people may need to take calcium supplements to ensure that they are meeting their daily needs. Because supplements, like calcium lactate, have potential side effects, consult your physician before taking it.
Calcium Lactate
Calcium lactate is a specific type of calcium supplement. According to the Health Services at Columbia University, calcium lactate contains approximately 13 percent of elemental calcium. Calcium is necessary for bone health and also has a number of other potential benefits. The type of calcium supplement you choose depends on your exact needs. Some people may prefer one type of supplement over another because it has fewer side effects or is easier for their body to absorb.
Kidney Stones
Kidney stones are solid masses composed of small crystals. Kidney stones are formed when the urine contains too much of a certain substance. Calcium stones are the most common. The stones can block the flow of urine, causing the kidneys to swell and creating severe pain. Other symptoms of kidney stones include nausea, fever, vomiting and blood in the urine. Dehydration is the biggest risk factor when developing kidney stones, according to the PubMed Health.
Kidney Stones and Calcium
If you are prone to developing kidney stones, you may want to avoid taking calcium supplements. Although the calcium in your diet does not play a role in kidney stones, calcium supplements, like calcium lactate, may. Research published in 2011 in the “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition” followed 36,282 post-menopausal women for seven years. Half of the participants received a calcium supplement while the other group took a placebo. The researchers found that the development of kidney stones were 17 percent more common in women taking calcium.
Precautions
The National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse, a part of the National Institutes of Health, states that some researchers believe that taking calcium supplements with food may decrease the risk of kidney stones. Calcium taken with dietary oxalate protects against stone formations and may have the same effects as dietary calcium. The recommended dietary allowances for adults taking calcium is 1,000 mg per day. Some side effects of calcium lactate include nausea, vomiting, constipation, increased thirst, increased urination and decreased appetite, according to Drugs.com.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- Health Services at Columbia: What's Up With Calcium Supplements?; September 2003
- PubMed Health; Kidney Stones; January 2009
- “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition”; The Risk of Kidney Stone Formation: The Form of Calcium Matters; M.J. Favus; July 2011
- "Washington Post"; Can Calcium Supplements Cause Kidney Stones?; Linda Searing; June 2011
- National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Diet for Kidney Stone Prevention
- Drugs.com: Calcium Lactate
