When you start looking into taking nutritional supplements to make sure you’re getting a sufficient amount of calcium, you’ll notice 2 types of calcium are included in supplements: citrate and carbonate. Even though both of the ingredients help to make sure that you get the right amount of minerals in your system, there is a major difference between the two. Many people find that calcium supplements are essential in the event that they don’t get enough dairy in their regular diets.
What is Calcium Citrate?
The main thing to consider is how easy it is for your body to absorb the nutrients that you are ingesting on a regular basis. The best way to get the right amount of calcium is for your body to be in an acidic state, which is where calcium citrate comes into play. With the help of acidic molecules you can rest assured that your supplements will be absorbed without needing the help of stomach acids. It is important to note that when you start looking into supplements with calcium citrate, there will be less calcium per pill, meaning that you might need to take a higher dosage to get the right amount of nutrients. You might also find that calcium citrate can worsen issues directly related to an excess of stomach acid.
What is Calcium Carbonate?
There’s a high probability that you own some type of medication that includes calcium carbonate in its list of ingredients, particularly if you’re a fan of antacids. In comparison to its counterpart, calcium carbonate incorporates alkaline compounds and doesn’t synthesize its own acid to be broken down. Instead, when you take supplements with calcium carbonate it will need to reach your stomach acids in order to start working and to help your body absorb it. Typically you will be suggested to take calcium carbonate right after you eat or after enjoying a glass of citric fruit juice. One of the largest benefits to calcium carbonate is you will have a higher level of calcium per pill, meaning that you’ll have lower dosages than what you would receive with calcium citrate.
It is important that you consider the benefits of both calcium citrate and carbonate before deciding on which supplement is right for you. It’s also important that you follow the recommended dosage for each to ensure that your body doesn’t experience any illnesses such as hypercalcemia.
