calcium carbonate and iron

December 3, 2001

Message: 18

Date: Mon, 3 Dec 2001 16:44:35 -0500

Subject: Calcium and iron -- strange bedfellows? (did that get your

attention?)

Folks,

Dr. Elariny has invited a dietitian to consult with patients. She is

some kind of wonderful because, not only is she informed in general,

but she has taken to heart admonitions (gently, from me and others)

that the malabsorptive patients' needs are different from

run-of-the-mil RnYs' needs, for example. So, she has been

researching. I really trust her, if only because she doesn't assume

that she knows it all.

Anyway, I consulted her privately about the Calcium/iron debates, and

here is her answer:

This is the information i have for you regarding

the iron/Calcium debate. First of all, Calcium is not absorbed at

all without the help of Vitamin D, so do take a calcium supplement

that as well contains vitamin D. Calcium absorption has nothing to

do with magnesium, only parathyroid hormone, a hormone produced by

our bodies to regulate calcium levels. It is important to take a

Magnesium supplement though, b/c a lot of the foods you are probably

eating do not contain much Mag and we need around 300-400 mg a day.

(unless you are eating a lot of seafood or spinach or nuts, then

you're ok)

As far as Ca/Fe, Calcium does inhibit iron absrp when taken with

food, no matter what type of Calcium it is (carbonate, citrate,

phosphate and chloride). It has been found that Ca Carb does not

inhibit iron when taken without food, but all inhibit its absorption

when taken with food. therefore, it is best to take your calcium and

iron separately.

Calcium carbonate is the most concentrated calcium supplement and has

about twice as much elemental calcium by weight as calcium citrate.

Therefore, it requires fewer or smaller tablets to achieve a given

dose of elemental calcium. But there is not a lot of information

available as to which one would be best to take out of all of them.

I would have to do a little more research to find that out.

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