Re: Calcium/vitamins D&K/boron - DANA/other

[Guest guest]

Hi, Irene.

I didn't read your questions thoroughly (sorry!), but I wanted to say that

fortified rice milk and other " vegetarian " calcium-fortified milks contain

vitamin D2, which is not as effective as D3. I noticed that DS's nails

weren't growing as fast after switching him to rice milk, and the

pediatrician was the one that told us about D2 and D3. D2 is ergocalciferol,

D3 is cholecalciferol.

And be careful with too much magnesium - it can drive down your calcium

levels in your blood (this happened to me while I was on medication that

increased my magnesium level, which I had no idea that it did that).

As for K, I was reluctant to supplement that, but one of our calcium

supplements made for kids contains K, only 50% RDA, so I didn't worry too

much. DS doesn't eat much raw greens, so I'm sure he could use the extra.

Here are food sources of K:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient & dbid=112

I also switch calcium supplements around once in a while so he gets

different forms every now and then. Chelated form is easier to absorb than

calcium carbonate. Here's more info about different forms of calcium. Scroll

down to " Dietary Calcium Supplements. "

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium

There are other sources of calcium too. DS loves eating shrimp tails, and I

encourage it every time he wants to eat them! Leafy greens contain calcium,

but they're not readily absorbed by the body because of some chemical

reaction...

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient & dbid=45#foodsources

HTH!