Are there good and bad forms of calcium? Isn’t it just calcium?

When they talk about taking calcium, isn’t all calcium, calcium? Have you seen the Disney movie Beauty and the Beast? Beauty can be coupled with the “beast” or she could be coupled with the “prince”. Which would you prefer? Turns out in chemistry, elements like calcium, iron, magnesium etc. cannot exist alone but is coupled with another molecule of opposite charge to be stable.

Going back to the periodic table, the calcium element has a charge of 2+, so it would need to be coupled with a molecule with a 2- charge in order to exist and be stable. So when we talk about calcium is coupled with something else and that something else does make a difference to the human body. Photo Credit Science Activism

For example, here are some different forms of calcium: Calcium Carbonate and Calcium Citrate.

Calcium Carbonate is basically chalk. Not very absorbable. Too much of it can even contribute to the formation of calcium deposits, hardening of arteries, inflammatory micro-adhesions to name a few. Unfortunately, calcium carbonate is found in most calcium supplements, Tums, etc and most people don’t know it.

A study in the American Journal of Therapeutics showed that absorption by the human body of calcium citrate was 27% higher than calcium carbonate. Another study showed that women taking calcium carbonate for osteoporosis did not have decrease in fractures. Therefore, if you are wanting to take calcium for bone health, most calcium on the shelf “calcium carbonate” would not be as effective.

Calcium citrate is much safer and more bioavailable than calcium carbonate. But even better than calcium citrate is MCHC Micro Crystalline Hydroxyapatite Complex. This is basically a mineral complex that contains calcium and other minerals that are part of the human bone structure. Studies show that calcium carbonate slowed bone resorption (bone loss) by 50%, but that MCHC almost stopped it completely. MCHC also improves the architecture of bone, so that its structure is much more durable and stable against fractures.

Besides taking the right type of calcium, it is also important how your body metabolizes calcium. This means how calcium moves in and out of cells and also how much calcium exists inside cells and outside of cells. Improper calcium metabolism is associated with over 150 diseases, so this is actually something important though often overlooked. For example improper calcium metabolism can contribute to the development of Alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, coronary artery disease, multiple sclerosis and various auto-immune diseases. If you need help with finding the right forms of supplements for yourself or want to delve deeper in underlying health issues you are dealing with, please reach out and I will be happy to help you.