Calcium lactate and calcium malate are each available in dietary supplements and fortified foods. Because calcium lactate is a less concentrated form of calcium, your doctor may recommend a different calcium supplement to meet your daily requirement. Some supplements, such as calcium citrate malate, are more easily absorbed. Both calcium lactate and calcium malate are used as food additives. Both these forms of calcium are also used as ingredients in prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications.
Calcium Lactate as a Dietary Supplement
Health-care providers use calcium lactate – a mineral found naturally in foods – to treat and prevent calcium deficiencies. Doctors sometimes prescribe calcium lactate to treat medical conditions such as osteoporosis, hypocalcemia, hypoparathyroidism, pseudohypoparathyroidism and osteomalacia – a disease that softens and weakens the bones of an adult. Use this medication only for the purpose your doctor prescribes. Follow dosing instructions and take with food and a full glass of water.
Calcium Lactate as a Food Additive
A food additive is a chemical substance added to a food during its preparation or packaging. The use of additives helps maintain the quality and nutritional value of a food product. Food product manufacturers often use additives to improve the appearance and texture of a food or as a preservative to prevent spoilage or increase shelf life. Canneries use calcium lactate and other additives as firming agents to prevent processed fruits and vegetables from softening during the canning process.
Calcium Malate
Doctors use calcium citrate malate to treat low blood calcium levels in individuals who do not get enough calcium in their diets. Like calcium lactate, calcium malate is used to treat conditions such as osteoporosis, osteomalacia and hypoparathyroidism caused by low calcium levels. Calcium supplements are often prescribed for pregnant, nursing and postmenopausal women to ensure that they get enough calcium during these life stages when calcium deficiency is more likely to occur.
Use Calcium Supplements With Caution
Calcium supplements help raise low calcium levels and prevent bone loss. Although calcium is safe for most people, taking too much can increase the risk of side effects such as flatulence, constipation and bloating. Take calcium and other nutritional supplements only under the direction of a health-care provider. People who have conditions that cause high levels of calcium in the blood need to be especially cautious. Supplements may also interact with other medications you are taking. Calcium can reduce the amount of antibiotics your body absorbs or decrease the effectiveness of certain medications including some anti-convulsants. Taking calcium supplements with medications that contain calcium can lead to excess calcium in the body. High levels of calcium in the urine can cause kidney stones to form. Likewise, too much calcium in the blood can cause potentially serious side effects, such as plaque accumulating in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart attack.
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