If you don't eat dairy products or other dietary sources of calcium, supplements are an effective way to get enough of this mineral in your diet to meet your daily needs. Many brands of calcium supplements are available, and each is manufactured in a different way, using various binding and filler ingredients. The type and quality of calcium also varies among brands. A supplement will only be useful if the tablet dissolves properly in your stomach so that the calcium is readily absorbed into your bloodstream. A simple test can tell you can tell if your calcium supplement dissolves correctly.
Step 1
Run the tap water until it feels warm. Fill the cup almost to the top with warm water.
Step 2
Place the cup on a flat surface where it won't be disturbed. Drop the calcium supplement into the cup while the water is still warm.
Step 3
Wait 30 minutes, then stir the calcium and water. A calcium supplement that dissolves after 30 minutes in warm water should dissolve just as well in your stomach.
Tips and Warnings
- A calcium tablet that has USP printed on its label has been standardized to meet the U.S. Pharmacopoeia standards for supplement dissolution (ability to dissolve). When you choose a USP standardized brand of supplement, you can be sure it will dissolve properly in your stomach. The best commercially available calcium supplements are made from calcium citrate and calcium carbonate, according to the University of Arizona College of Public Health.
- Not every brand is a good one. According to the National Institutes of Health, the purity of different calcium supplements varies, and the safest approach is to buy familiar brand names that have the USP symbol on the label.
Things You'll Need
- Small cup
- Warm water
- Calcium supplement
- Spoon
References
- University of Michigan Health System: Calcium and Vitamin D
- University of Arizona College of Public Health: Bone Builders: Do I Need a Calcium Supplement?
- Journal of Clinical Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetics of Calcium Absorption from Two Commercial Calcium Supplements (abstract)
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition: Absorbability and Cost Effectiveness in Calcium Supplementation
- National Institutes of Health: Bone Health: Calcium Supplements: What to Look For
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