Q. Does it matter what form of calcium I take to supplement my diet?
A. Yes! Calcium can be purchased in many forms. These forms vary in the amount of calcium they contain and also vary in the rate of absorption. The two most common forms are calcium salts: calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. The raw cost of calcium salts are inexpensive, thus many companies will use these forms to increase their profit margin. There are a couple of factors to consider when selecting calcium supplements, which include: safety, bioavailability, retention in tissues, proper dosages, and the balance of calcium with other nutrients. Patented amino acid chelated calcium is the best choice.

Q.How is amino acid chelated calcium different than calcium salts and does it need to be formulated with Magnesium for absorption?
A.Calcium salts are calcium in an inorganic form that bound to chemical salts. Since these forms are inorganic the body does not readily absorb these salts and utilize them efficiently. Yet, their low cost makes them a common choice for formulating products. These minerals are often too large to pass through the intestinal walls intact so they must be restructured for absorption. These forms of calcium are responsible for the mass publication that calcium must be formulated with a specific ratio of magnesium for absorption. Amino acid chelated calcium is a calcium molecule bound by two amino acids making this form of calcium organic just as minerals are found in plants. This form of calcium does NOT need to be restructured for absorption does NOT need to be formulated with Magnesium for absorption. The patented technology that is used to produce amino acid chelated minerals used in our products creates molecules with molecular weight small enough to pass easily through the intestinal wall. This patented chelation process also guarantees stability, purity, neutrality (no electrical charge). Our Calcium only contains calcium in the form of amino acid chelate, an organic form of calcium. You will notice that we have also included amino acid chelated magnesium in the formulation. It was added to this product for two reasons: (1) growing evidence shows that magnesium is just as important as calcium in the role of preventing and treating osteoporosis in fact, 60% of the body’s magnesium is stored in bone - and (2) the overall benefits of supplementing with magnesium, including energy production, muscle relaxation, prevention of tooth decay, and helps to prevent atherosclerosis.

Q.Is the patented amino acid chelated form of calcium safe to take long term?
A.Safety patented amino acid chelated calcium has demonstrated long and short term safety. Other forms of calcium, such as calcium carbonate, calcium chloride, and other non-chelated calcium salts have created symptoms that include constipation, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal irritation. Continued use of calcium carbonate has also been associated with milk-alkali syndrome (hypercalcemia, metabolic alkalosis, and renal failure).

Q.What form of calcium has the highest absorption rate and best tissue retention?
A.As seen the graph below, amino acid chelated calcium has the highest absorption rate. Its bioavailability is even higher than milk. Bioavailability refers to the amount of nutrient ingested and absorbed into the body to be used by the individual cells. It doesn’t matter how much of a nutrient is in a supplement, if the nutrients are not made available for the body to use then you are wasting your money. Tissue retention. Another important factor in considering a calcium supplement is its ability to retain in the tissues once it is absorbed. Research has shown that the patented amino acid chelated calcium is the best absorbed with proven target tissue retention. According to a study conducted by Prof. Graff at Weber State University, 57% more calcium from this patented form found its way to the bone tissue than from calcium carbonate (calcium salt).

Q.What is the most effective way to take calcium supplementation?
A.Based on research, the most effective way to supplement calcium is by taking small dosages throughout the day. The research demonstrated that the absorption rate was inversely proportional to the quantity of calcium ingested. At the lower dosages the average absorption was at 64%, while the highest dosages averaged an absorption rate of only 28.6%.

Q.Should a calcium supplement contain other nutrients to make it more effective?
A.Yes. Studies show that calcium combined with other nutrients improves its absorption and effectiveness. Just taking high dosages of calcium is not enough. In a double blind study on bone density published in the Journal of Nutrition, the group that received only calcium showed some slowing of bone loss while the group receiving calcium plus copper, manganese and zinc had its bone loss arrested.

Q.What is the best source of calcium? How much calcium would an active adult require?
A.The best sources of calcium are kale and spinach. Supplemental calcium is best obtained from amino acid chelates. An active adult needs approximately 200 milligrams of calcium at the cellular level from all sources daily to replace that which is lost in perspiration and elimination.