Who takes calcium supplements?

[LXEX55]

Aside from a multiple vitamin, I also take two calcium/Vitamin D pills. I am a male, 65 years old. My doctor did not prescribe it, but is aware that I take it. Anybody else?

 

[Car-Guy]

Yep, been taking calcium w/D3 supplements for years... My doctor knows I take it and agrees with my reasoning...

 

[Momcpa]

Me too. I take a prescribed calcium tablet once a week, and OTC calcium 7 days a week. With the pandemic, I've added some Vit D along with it as I've read it 'may' help.

My bone scan indicated that even though I walk 7 days a week, eat fruit and veggies, keep my weight in line, my bones aren't the best. Trying to do all I can to keep my bones in one piece. Although last winter, my daughter's Lab ran into me from behind, knocked me down on the driveway and I ended up with a broken wrist. Once in awhile my wrist reminds me that I'm not a youngster any more.

 

[braumeister]

I love cheese and eat quite a bit of it. When younger I drank a lot of milk, and still drink some. Heavy cream in my coffee. Never took a supplement and my calcium blood number has always been near the upper end of the normal range. Never had a broken bone in my life.

I understand the need for women, but I think men are much less prone to low calcium, except those with lactose intolerance or a vegan diet.

 

[audreyh1]

Not I. My blood calcium tends to creep just above the range occasionally.

I do take a lot of magnesium. And Vitamin D.

 

[O2Bfree]

I've cut back on calcium supplements and started drinking more milk. We don't eat much meat and I wanted to increase my protein intake. I now take half a tablet of calcium (30% RDA) 5-6 times a week.

Some of you mentioned a blood calcium test. Do you request this from your doctor or does your doctor do it as part of your normal regimen of tests, or perhaps because you have a condition that warrants it?

 

[sengsational]

I've been taking Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc combo, each at 100% DV for a long time. I'm a very low dairy person (a bit of cheese if it's part of a recipe). Lately I've added a D3/K2 combo at 625% and 75%, respectively, and plan a blood test to see if that's too much. I've got zinc and copper at 3 to 4 times DV at the ready, should I need it for illness.

 

[audreyh1]

I've cut back on calcium supplements and started drinking more milk. We don't eat much meat and I wanted to increase my protein intake. I now take half a tablet of calcium (30% RDA) 5-6 times a week.

Some of you mentioned a blood calcium test. Do you request this from your doctor or does your doctor do it as part of your normal regimen of tests, or perhaps because you have a condition that warrants it?

I think it’s a standard part of a routine CMP blood test.

 

[garyt]

I love cheese and eat quite a bit of it. When younger I drank a lot of milk, and still drink some. Heavy cream in my coffee. Never took a supplement and my calcium blood number has always been near the upper end of the normal range. Never had a broken bone in my life.

I understand the need for women, but I think men are much less prone to low calcium, except those with lactose intolerance or a vegan diet.

edit

 

[O2Bfree]

I think it’s a standard part of a routine CMP blood test.

Oh yes, thanks - I just checked my last one and it shows calcium. Mine was in-range, so it'll be interesting to see what the change to milk will do.

 

[garyt]

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases...rom the National,higher risk of heart disease.

study from the National Institutes of Health found that men who took calcium supplements had an increased risk of a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular diseases. But other studies suggest that both men and women who take calcium supplements have a higher risk of heart disease.

In general, more research is needed before doctors know how calcium supplements may affect your overall heart attack risk. Here is what is known so far.

The calcium supplements that some doctors are concerned about are generally those that contain only calcium.
The effect of supplements combining calcium and vitamin D on heart attack risk still needs to be determined.
Calcium from food sources, such as dairy products and green leafy vegetables, is not a concern.
Taking calcium (with vitamin D) does provide a benefit for those who have too little calcium or bone loss. As with any health issue, it's important to talk to your doctor to determine what's most appropriate in your case. Check with your doctor before taking any type of supplement to determine if there's a need.

With

Rekha Mankad, M.D.

 

[grasshopper]

More on calcium for the old guys, Calcium may increase prostate problems.
https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer...ociation between,with lower intake of calcium.

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/prostate-cancer/causes-risks-prevention/risk-factors.html

 

[harllee]

As an older woman I need to be taking calcium supplements per my doctor (bone scan not too good). But I cannot find any calcium supplements I can tolerate (they all cause me terrible constipation--TMI-- I know). I have tried all types of calcium supplements but so far I have not found any I can tolerate. Any suggestions?

 

[MrsHaloFIRE]

Pair with something to counteract the constipation. Stool softener and magnesium come to mind.

 

[iloveyoga]

Me at the request of my doctor. Calcium with D3.

 

[harllee]

Pair with something to counteract the constipation. Stool softener and magnesium come to mind.

Yes, those are what my doc suggested and I take those--does not help enough. My doctor said some people just cannot take calcium supplements and I must be one of those. I am trying to get my calcium through food but I wish I could take a supplement also for my bones.

 

[powerplay]

I take a daily calcium supplement. My oncologist wants me taking it to help prevent bone loss from the aromatase inhibitor I will take for 5-10 years.

 

[Poopycat]

I have to take a ton of calcium because my parathyroid was knocked out when my thyroid was removed a few years ago. The parathyroid regulates calcium. I left the hospital after my thyroid was removed, feeling fine, and two days later I went to the ER because I was tingling all over. Blood tests showed very low calcium levels so I was re-hospitalized. It took five days to get my calcium levels back up.

Now I take two 600-mg calcium tablets three times a day just to keep my calcium levels in the normal range.

 

[audreyh1]

Oh yes, thanks - I just checked my last one and it shows calcium. Mine was in-range, so it'll be interesting to see what the change to milk will do.

I’m not sure that it is an indicator of getting sufficient calcium intake for bone health, etc. Rather - it’s an indicator of other problems if it’s out of range. For example it can indicate a parathyroid tumor. Also high calcium can cause kidney stones. And if it stays high for a long time it can cause other serious problems such as strokes and heart disease.

Personally I have come to believe that if I take higher doses of Vitamin D for long periods of time my blood calcium will creep up slightly above range so I try to balance. Fortunately my PTH has always been well within normal range. I do not take calcium due to my blood calcium usually pushing the top end of the range.

Calcium in blood - it can come from diet, it can be leached from bones. So you can’t know if it’s “good” or “bad”.

 

[RAE]

I would be careful about taking calcium supplements. There is some evidence that those who take calcium supplements (men, especially) may have a higher incidence of heart disease. Here is one article about that: https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog...s-linked-to-heart-disease-in-men-201302065861


I've read enough articles like this to convince me that it's best to get calcium from food sources, and not a supplement. I do take a daily Vitamin D supplement, along with magnesium and Vitamin K2.

 

[audreyh1]

You can also drive up your blood calcium and cause kidney stones by overdoing antacids.

 

[KB]

I have to take a ton of calcium because my parathyroid was knocked out when my thyroid was removed a few years ago. The parathyroid regulates calcium. I left the hospital after my thyroid was removed, feeling fine, and two days later I went to the ER because I was tingling all over. Blood tests showed very low calcium levels so I was re-hospitalized. It took five days to get my calcium levels back up.

I had a parathyroid tumor which was found when my calcium blood test was very high and D3 was very low. I had to take Rx D3 for months after my parathyroid removal surgery until it leveled out and take calcium daily also. My doctor checks all of them (PTH, Calcium and D3 annually).

 

[John Galt III]

You can also drive up your blood calcium and cause kidney stones by overdoing antacids.

Ever since I stopped taking generic prevacid for stomach acid, I have been using calcium (tums style) as an antacid. A few years ago, my blood calcium was slightly over the limit. My pcp was alarmed by it. He said yes, taking lots of calcium antacids could have caused the spike. I started taking fewer antacids, and the calcium has always been in the high part of the range, but under the max. Good to hear I am not alone being 'high normal' in my calcium level.

 

[eytonxav]

I’m not sure that it is an indicator of getting sufficient calcium intake for bone health, etc. Rather - it’s an indicator of other problems if it’s out of range. For example it can indicate a parathyroid tumor. Also high calcium can cause kidney stones. And if it stays high for a long time it can cause other serious problems such as strokes and heart disease.

+1 I might be wrong, but also do not think a high blood calcium level is indicative of an osteopenia type bone loss condition and if your bones need a supplement, taking a calcium supplement should not increase ones blood calcium level.

 

[jam12]

I probably took some calcium supps yrs ago but when a couple mammograms showed up with calcification, I started to do my research...I take no calcium supps now and count on my veggies and small amounts of cheese and my wonderful magnesium for my bone health. There is a lot of info that mag deficiency is major.