Calcium Vs. Calcium Citrate

[Pashion 7]

At GNC I found a liquid Calcium magnesium 32 oz bottle that has Vitamin D 400IU and Citrate of 1200MG and total calories is 10 per serving, it is by Tropical Oasis. My Doctor recommends 2000mg so I will have to take 1 and 3/4 tablespoons per day. Is has a 60 day supply with the recommended dosage. I got the orange flavor because that was the only one left. Not sure how it taste because I will not start taking it until after surgery. I am just trying to stock up on all my Vitamins before surgery.

[Pashion 7]

Hey, I did some Calcium shopping today too! I can't find chewable calcium citrate anywhere! I called the Vitamin shop and they had twin lab calcium wafers which are NASTY.. Does anyone know any good brands?

I have gone to about 5 stores and no one sells chewable calcium with citrate + Vit D. I could not believe that. I ended up finding a liquid at GNC it was kind of pricey but I used my Gold Card and got 20% off. If you are military you can get 20% off all month instead of only the first week of the month at the franchise stores only.

[Happy Camper 266]

Hi all, I ended up at GNC as well AND got the liquid Phasion talks about this morning. So, I start taking it tomorrow but Pookeyism makes a valid point about the sun. Sometimes working from home office, I do not leave the house for a week.

The clerk at GNC reminded me that 1) caffeine inhibits the absorption by restricting the blood flow, and 2) Calcium should be taken with a small amount of FAT to travel to the parts of your body that needs it...so I need to figure out when I can have my daily up of coffee and make sure I have my laughing cow cheese to help with absorption. This is for life so I need to figure out good routine.

Feedyoureye, Bariatric Advantage and iMetalibolic are the only brands I have taken to date, this liquid calcium citrate will be the first time I have deviated since before surgery November 1.

Appreciate all the input and experience.

[Meredit 15]

Maybe switch to Decaf and add a small amount of coconut oil?

[Happy Camper 266]

Maybe switch to Decaf and add a small amount of coconut oil?

Meredit- I should go back to decaf...I just started back on caffeine, the coffee taste better and I get up at 4am each morning to make lunch for my hubby. My cup of coffee is MY treat and strange but, it feels good to my tummy. I think I will go back to half caf, then maybe more chai tea. Not heard of coconut oil, what does that do?

[AliveAgain 283]

I'm glad I found this thread because I'm curious if anyone else had problems with Calcium citrate like me. I started taking the Citrical Petite's last week and within 24 hours had THE worst headache (haven't had one since before surgery), and a lot of my muscles hurt/ached, even my face was tight. Unfortunately I'm familiar with this with my menstrual cycle and anytime I've ever been on antibiotics -- and know that it's a sign of low magnesium. So I immediately got some in my system (powder mix) and stopped the Citrical - felt better next day. Most doctor's tell us to take Calcium + magnesium for the Constipation factor (which I also got, dried up like desert sand). Plus, calcium is better absorbed in the cells with magnesium - otherwise, by itself it can actually deplete the body of much needed magnesium. For kicks, I tried the Citrical with a dose of the magnesium and still got the headache, pains, etc. So I just stopped it completely, hasn't come back at all.

I've found calcium citrate+magnesium in capsule form, but you have to take three per dose. About the same size as one of those giant horsepills of regular calcium. Prior to surgery, I just took your standard calcium/mag/vit d/ADEK and it treated me just fine. My NUT says she's never heard of this but I know that's what it was... too coincidental with taking/not taking the citrate.

Anyone take the non-citrate form of calcium and do OK?

[mamasez 9]

I have found these two products to be helpful:

Healthy Indulgence calcium citrate from The Vitamin Shoppe. Each dark choc (yum) disk has 500 mg cal citrate + 260 IU Vit D3.

Kal brand liquid Cal- Mag +. This is pineapple flavor and gi1 tbsp gives 600 mg cal, 300 IU Vit D3 + 300 mg mag. Ordered this ftom drugstore.com.

pills r hard for me to tolerate, so these help.

[feedyoureye 3,087]

I'm glad I found this thread because I'm curious if anyone else had problems with calcium citrate like me. I started taking the Citrical Petite's last week and within 24 hours had THE worst headache (haven't had one since before surgery), and a lot of my muscles hurt/ached, even my face was tight. Unfortunately I'm familiar with this with my menstrual cycle and anytime I've ever been on antibiotics -- and know that it's a sign of low magnesium. So I immediately got some in my system (powder mix) and stopped the Citrical - felt better next day. Most doctor's tell us to take Calcium + magnesium for the Constipation factor (which I also got, dried up like desert sand). Plus, calcium is better absorbed in the cells with magnesium - otherwise, by itself it can actually deplete the body of much needed magnesium. For kicks, I tried the Citrical with a dose of the magnesium and still got the headache, pains, etc. So I just stopped it completely, hasn't come back at all. I've found calcium citrate+magnesium in capsule form, but you have to take three per dose. About the same size as one of those giant horsepills of regular calcium. Prior to surgery, I just took your standard calcium/mag/vit d/ADEK and it treated me just fine. My NUT says she's never heard of this but I know that's what it was... too coincidental with taking/not taking the citrate. Anyone take the non-citrate form of calcium and do OK?

This may be a silly question, but hows the Water intake? Sounds a lot like dehydration too....using caffein? Just checking....

[AliveAgain 283]

hi feedyoureye! To answer your questions I get in 64-80oz of fluids a day (usually two shakes made with Water, 12oz each), 2-2.5 fills of my 24oz water bottle, and sometimes a glass of tea. Along with broths, SF Jell-O, etc. This is a very different feeling from dehydration headache, I've had those before as I've had the low-magnesium before. In 2009 I went to the emergency room with a 5-day migraine-like headache and similar muscle aches. It was after a few months battling a severe sinus infection with three round of antibiotics (which I hate). The doctor tested me and said I had alarmingly low magnesium levels, which was most likely the cause of my symptoms. Antibiotics can rob the body of the mineral, as does time of the month, too much Calcium, and not enough leafy greens. Given this diet of ours does not allow much room for greens, it's a double whammy. Our bodies are in highly acidic PH levels with any high-Protein, low-carb diet not rich in healthy doses of fruits and vegetables.

Also, haven't had a drop of caffeine since New Year's and even then I'd cut back drastically since October (quit coffee, green/black tea was only caffeine source until before surgery). And I don't drink alcohol...

I'm going to try a sample of this new algae-source calcium/magnesium capsule, a pharmacist at a local health store suggested I try it.

[suzcomptime 17]

Nutritionist said only calcium citrate so had to give up the Viactin I had been taking for my Calcium (& guilt free treat). I ordered the Bariatric Advantage Choc chewables but they are like chalk. I can get them down but what I also disliked was that it takes 3 tablets for 500g calcium. If you need 1000g of calcium supplements that would be 6 a day. A bottle of 90 is $22 so at 6 a day, the bottle would only last 2 weeks. That's $44 a month for just 1 supplement (that tastes yucky).

The Bariatric Advantage chewy bites are tasty, like a treat. They are 250g calcium each as stated earlier in this thread and at 4 a day, they cost about $23 a month, half of the chalky option. I will never buy the chalky stuff again!

[feedyoureye 3,087]

... the Bariatric Advantage Choc chewables but they are like chalk...

Are you talking about the giant horse pills about the size of a quarter? They have 500 megs each pill. The wild cherry ones are much better..sort of sweet tart like, but still chalky... if you are worried about the cost... the big bottle of the Bariatric Advantage chewables is the best deal in town. Around $44 for three months worth (270 count).

http://www.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog/categoryHandler?cat=Bariatric%20Advantage%20:%20Calcium%20:%20Chewables&expand=1

[suzcomptime 17]

... the Bariatric Advantage Choc chewables but they are like chalk...

Are you talking about the giant horse pills about the size of a quarter? They have 500 megs each pill. The wild cherry ones are much better..sort of sweet tart like, but still chalky... if you are worried about the cost... the big bottle of the Bariatric Advantage chewables is the best deal in town. Around $44 for three months worth (270 count).

http://www.bariatric...wables&expand=1

Yes, those are the ones I have so after your post I went and re-read the label. AHA......Where I got confused is that typically the nutrition type labels tell you the serving size and then the nutrition based on that serving size but I just noticed on the back of my bottle it says "Serving Size 3 Tablets"

Servings per Container 30

Then it says "Amount per 1 Tablet

and then it lists the nutritional info with calories, carbs, Fiber, 500 Calcium etc. So you are right it is 500 p/tablet not per serving. Just the label was written differently than typical. Thanks for pointing that out, I think I've been getting a bit much calcium lately!

[suzcomptime 17]

......The wild cherry ones are much better..sort of sweet tart like, but still chalky....

OH, and I think I'll try the cherry ones, I like sweet tarts. The choc ones work if you add a little Water to them when chewing them, if not, they tend to feel like you are eating cocoa powder.< /p>

I got my free bag of Bariatric chewy bites today and they taste just like a caramel chew but would be a bit more expensive than the dry chewables with my corrected cost calculations

Sometimes the extra is worth it so will continue to get at least some of my Calcium from the chewy bites.

[Cmullinvegas 39]

Suzcomptime how did u get a free bag of chewy bites? I just bought the BA caramel only 250 mg in one though.

[suzcomptime 17]

Suzcomptime how did u get a free bag of chewy bites? I just bought the BA caramel only 250 mg in one though.

A friend sent me this but I think it was just that day and the first 100 callers. You could try and talk them into it though.

Bariatric Advantage free offer