There is a lot of hype about the health benefits of calcium and plenty of controversy over the best form of this essential mineral. According to Dr. Michael Murray N.D., calcium deficiency is a very real and common health problem. I also see this is my practice.

Ginny, age 35, came to see me because she had full blown osteoporosis after having used Depo-provera injections for birth control for 5 years. Her MD had ordered a DEXA bone density due to the emerging research that these injections significantly increase the risk of osteoporosis. She had come to me because she wanted more information about the treatment of osteoporosis other than the calcium and vitamin D her MD had prescribed.

I gave her my latest article on the benefits of vitamin D emphasizing that the RDA (recommended daily allowance) of 400IU’s was too low to be of much benefit. We also did a serum 25(OH) vitamin D level and found her levels of 60nmol/L were far below the optimal range of 105-163nmol/L.

She was taking calcium carbonate and I explained to her that this form was not the best absorbed, that 40% of it was elemental so in order for her to get 1000mg per day of elemental calcium she needed to take 2500mg of calcium carbonate.  The Bone Basics that I recommended for her contained 4000mg of calcium hydroxyapatite providing 1000mg of calcium. This dosage is adequate for men and women age 19-50, but not adequate for the treatment of osteoporosis, so I added other forms of calcium.

Calcium metabolism is complex and tightly regulated by several hormones and vitamin D. The body will do anything to keep intracellular calcium levels stable, including pulling calcium from the bones! Calcium alone will do little to improve bone mineral density according to Dr. Michael McClung M.D. Director, Oregon Osteoporosis Center. Add vitamin D to the mix and it is a whole different story.

There is no single form of calcium that is going to be good for everyone and it is best to take various combinations of calcium combining carbonates, hydroxyapatites and citrates. For optimal overall absorption of calcium it is best to take it on an empty stomach with Vitamin D. This is why I often recommend taking one dose at bedtime as compliance is an issue if there are too many rules about when to take remedies. Magnesium is important to take along with calcium in a 2:1 calcium to magnesium ratio. The Bone Basics contains a good amount of magnesium as well.

Calcium is not only the main mineral component of teeth and bones but also plays a critical role in muscle contraction, cardiac repolarization, lowers LDL and raises HDL cholesterols and reduces the risk of premalignant colon polyps (only if vitamin D levels are adequate as well).

I explained to Ginny that treating osteoporosis was a very long process, repeating DEXA scans yearly to note progress. In my practice I find that DEXA results do improve when other remedies such as boron, strontium and ipriflavone (soy) are also added and taken routinely.

Ginny reported back in a few weeks that her sleep had improved, her nails were healthier, she was getting up less during the night to urinate and that her heart palpitations had stopped. After discontinuing dairy (which I explained does not reduce the relative risk of fractures according to the research) her irritable bowel symptoms improved and her husband noticed her snoring decreasing!