What Makes a Calcium Supplement Successful?

Research shows there are three major factors in creating a successful calcium supplement:

• Elemental Calcium In The Right Form and Amount To Avoid Side Effects
• The Right Combination of Vitamins and Minerals to Support Absorption and Use by the Body
• Chewable Form To Ensure Maximum Absorption And Dental Benefit As Well

BTB Vitamins have all of these factors – other leading products you see on the shelves do not.
Once you make sure that your supplement’s label is showing the true amount of elemental calcium (most do now, although you have to be careful), your next question is what kind of calcium is being used. The two leading forms are calcium citrate (used in BTB Vitamins) and calcium carbonate (used in two of the three leading national brands as well as in chewable antacids).

Calcium carbonate must be taken with food to help reduce side effects (it often causes stomach upset or gas) and encourage absorption (food causes HCl acid to be produced which enhances absorption for this type of calcium). Some reports have indicated the presence of lead in some calcium carbonate supplements, although below legal thresholds. However, it is the cheapest approach and therefore most prevalent on the market. The use of calcium carbonate in antacid products is particularly humorous, given that the carbonate form needs acid to be absorbed but you are taking an antacid at the same time!

Calcium phosphate is sometimes touted as an option “closest to the body’s natural bone” because bones contain calcium and phosphorus but in practice the body has a harder time breaking down calcium phosphate in a Independent Pharmacy form.

Because calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate have a higher % elemental calcium in them naturally than calcium citrate (40% vs. 21%), you will often see misleading advertising claims about “the most calcium per pill”. All this means is that you have to consume more calcium citrate to get the same net 1000mg of elemental calcium, not that the carbonate form is somehow better or stronger. Using a chewable pill makes this difference easier to address because there is less concern about swallowing more or bigger pills.

Calcium citrate is best – Because it has the highest bioavailability and does not need stomach acid to help absorption, it has been shown in some studies to be better absorbed than calcium carbonate, and does not require taking with food – 27% higher absorption rate than calcium carbonate when both are taken on an empty stomach and 22% higher absorption rate vs. calcium carbonate when both are taken with food. Calcium citrate is also the only form which can be absorbed without stomach acid meaning it is the only form effective for absorption in the mouth for dental benefit as well!

So once you have the right form of calcium you have to make sure you have the right blend of vitamins and minerals to ensure maximum benefit. As a reminder, here is the chart showing these key vitamins and minerals.

Finally you should consider the form of tablet used. Using a chewable form of calcium that can be taken without food (only possible with calcium citrate) allows a person to take it anytime, anywhere–increasing the chance of consistent usage. Chewing up the supplement also provides instant breakdown and aids in getting the calcium into the bloodstream. Chewing it in the mouth (instead of swallowing a dissolved solution) also ensures maximum benefit for dental health as well.

To see how BTB Vitamins stack up vs. leading national brands on these key measures of success click here for a comparison (link to comparison to other leading products page)