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Sources of Supplemental Calcium

Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the human body, is crucial to many important functions, including bone and tooth health, blood flow and a healthy nervous system. Adults require 1,000 mg of calcium per day, which they can acquire from dairy products, vegetables and most grains, according to the National Institutes of Health. If they fail to get enough calcium from food sources, supplements can help people meet their daily needs. Individuals taking prescription medication should consult their physician before adding a supplemental source of calcium to their diet.

  1. Calcium Citrate

    • Calcium citrate provides an acidic environment that encourages the best calcium absorption. Because it supplies this environment on its own, you can take this supplement any time throughout the day, on a full or empty stomach. Calcium citrate is lacking in elemental calcium, though, and a person using it as a supplemental source of calcium would need to consume a larger number of pills to meet her daily needs, indicates HealthCastle. Elemental calcium is the actual amount of calcium in each pill the body can absorb. People who have acid reflux disease, however, might find calcium citrate intolerable.

    Calcium Carbonate

    • Most calcium supplements available are calcium carbonate. Aside from being a supplemental source of calcium, it is also used to treat indigestion, heartburn and upset stomach, based on information from the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This type of supplemental calcium requires an acidic stomach environment for absorption, so it should be taken after you have eaten a meal. Coral calcium, though marketed as a cure-all for about 200 different medical conditions, is really just calcium carbonate.

    Calcium Gluconate

    • Calcium gluconate, an easily absorbable supplement, is an odorless, tasteless calcium salt. In addition to replenishing calcium, this supplement is also used to treat fluoride poisoning. Because of its absorption rate, calcium gluconate is very popular, but it's also low in elemental calcium. To meet your daily calcium needs using this supplement, you would need to take a large amount per day, according to HealthCastle.

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