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Calcium Citrate Malate Vs. Calcium Citrate

Calcium is important for building and maintaining bones and teeth, as well as essential functions in the body such as heartbeat regulation and blood clotting. Choosing a supplement can be confusing as calcium supplements often include other ingredients to aid absorption or help the body utilize the calcium. Two such ingredients are citrate and malate, which have similar properties and benefits.

  1. Acids

    • Citrate and malate are both organic acids that are bound with calcium. Other acids used in calcium supplementation are gluconate, aspartate and lactate. Calcium bound with citrate or citrate/malate is better absorbed by the body than the more alkaline calcium carbonate. Unlike calcium carbonate, which is best absorbed with food, calcium citrate and calcium citrate malate can be taken on an empty stomach.

    Cost

    • Calcium citrate and calcium citrate/malate may be more expensive and require more pills to be swallowed to get the same amount of calcium. This is because the amount of elemental calcium in calcium carbonate is almost twice as much as in calcium citrate. The amount of elemental calcium in a 1,000 milligram pill of calcium carbonate is about 400 milligrams. A 1,000 milligram pill of calcium citrate contains only 210 milligrams of elemental calcium.

    Solubility

    • Calcium citrate/malate has a unique versatility that makes it soluble to be used directly in food and beverages. Most calcium enriched juices and foods use calcium citrate/malate. That versatility makes it easily accessible in dietary forms, reducing the costs of supplementation.

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