Calcium with Vitamin D/ Magnesium

[Mary Jo]

I take Oscal Calcium with Vitamin D. Each tablet contains 500 mg of calcium and 400 IU of Vit. D3. The Nordic Naturals Cod Liver Oil I take says it has 1-20 I.U. of Vitamin D.

A friend of mine told me that we cannot absorb more than 300 mg. of calcium at one time. Is that true? I was thinking of purchasing Caltrate's Calcium which has 600 mg. of calcium and I think 500 IU of Vitamin D3. I am a bit confused now as to what I should do. Currently I take my Oscal caplet of 500 mg. of calcium and 400 IU of Vit. D3 twice per day. One at breakfast and one with dinner. Just confused on the absorption issue. I also take 2 tablets of Magnesium at lunch time. Each tablet contains 250 mg. of magnesium.


Thanks in advance for answers to these questions.

Mary Jo

[Bev]

Hi.

They told me to take 1500mg/day. No mention on absorption rates. I've been taking them all at once so will be interested on more on this subject. BB

[Lolly]

I was told 1500 mg of calcium daily, divided into 3 doses as only about 500 mg can be absorbed at a time...I take the first dose after breakfast along with my multi, fish oil, Co-Q10, 400 iu D and baby aspirin. The other doses are taken after lunch and dinner. I also take 2 magnesium tabs sometime in the afternoon between meals, by themselves, as some on this site have advised that magnesium is best absorbed by itself and in fact when taken with calcium isn't absorbed as well.
This probably confuses things more! Curious how others respond.

<3 Lolly

[RhondaH]

I PERSONALLY don't take calcium, I take magnesium as I believe (and for good reason as my father died due to calcified arteries, though his was caused by heart and diabetes) that calcium is not absorbed easily so I ONLY take magnesium. The person who was an advocate on this was Gina (not sure if you had the pleasure of meeting her as she no longer posts), but here are some discussions that talke about it. Take care and God bless.

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=79232

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/search.php?searchid=79234

Rhonda

[Mary Jo]

Interesting Rhonda. Now I'm really confused.http://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif (surely that doesn't surprise you about mehttp://www.her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif) I clicked on the links you posted but nothing came up. Only a message that said "no matches" And, no, I never did have the pleasure of "meeting" Gina.

I look forward to hearing more on this subject.

May God's Peace surround each of you today.

Mary Jo

[RhondaH]

as previously I could just post the address. Oh well, here you go and I will also attach her email in case you would like to email her (she would LOVE to hear from you...she is Stage IV, has been for over 5 years and has an INTERESTING theory).

Gina posted this and I sent her a private message asking her the same thing. Here is her reply to me:

Hi,

Unfortunately I am at work and just off my lunch hour..but the main reason is that despite all you read about calcium helping osteoporosis..etc., mostly it is not true...go online and google calcium magnesium homeostasis and you will learn the biology that no matter how much calcium you ingest from diet or supplements, the only amount that will be absorbed is an amount equal to how much magnesium you have in your gut at that particular time...as American diets are notoriously LOW in Magnesium and already way too high in calcium and as her-2 gals are 9 times out of 10 more likely to suffer from mild magnesium deficiencies already and moreso if they have taken the mag depleting chemos of cisplatin or carbo platin..., the reason our bones thin, etc. is because we don't have enough MAGNESIUM...

I know this is so confusing but everything in bio-chemistry operates as a bio-feedback system trying to achieve or maintain bio-chemical balance...if you only have 25 mg of mag in your system and you dump say 1,000 extra supplemental calcium into that system..only 25mg of the 1,000mg of Calcium will be absorbed and less than that if you don't also have adequate stores of Vitamin D....it is all in the bio-chemistry...you can read about it for yourself. I personally think it is a crime what doctors are doing to women in this country by constantly pumping them with supplemental calcium and fosomex and the like...for a while, your body merely excretes the excess calcium through your intestines and kidneys, but after years of over-dosing on Calcium, calc plaque mixes with cholesterol and builds up a waxy substance/biofilm in your blood vessels and arteries and causes high blood pressure and eventually stroke and heart attack. That calcium alone prevents osteoporosis is just a sad myth...no need to take my word for it..do the research yourself and you will see...Fortunately, the benefits of the magnesium for cancer patients is finally trickling down in popular literature like Prevention Mag and some of the health mags...but I think it is too late for your mom's generation...but at least you could help her by switching her to supplemental magnesium to balance the already too much calcium we get in American Diet... and as for you, Dearheart, what ever you do, DO NOT take supplemental calcium. If you want to take something try the basic regimen: at least 800mg of pure mag (not mag citrate); 500 mg of evening primrose; 1,000 I.U. Vitamin D with 20,000 to 25,000 IU real Vitamin A as in fish oil with zinc and olive leaf capsules and a basic no frills multi daily..eat a healthy diet and walk a lot --it will make a big difference...

Hope this helps...there is a lot more but I am rushing..

Email me at home any time..are you going to the San Diego Cure conference?? I wil be there..

Take it easy, smile
Gina

mailto:gpopp@comcast.net (gpopp@comcast.net)

Rhonda
<!-- / message -->

[Mary Jo]

Thank you Rhonda. I did e-mail her and look forward to her reply. She explained herself well, in simple terms and I so appreciated that. I also appreciate the fact that you went out of your way to get this information for me. Hugs to you!!!!!http://her2support.org/vbulletin/images/icons/icon7.gif

Of course, now I really am confused.........................dang it! But we need to learn and grow and figure out what's best for us. I will listen, learn and decide.

Thanks Rhonda. You are kind!

Mary Jo

[MichelleH]

Hi,
It is 600 mg that your body can absorb at once. I heard this on a TV program (may have been the news) years ago and my Dr confirmed it. I take 600 mg twice a day for bone mets.
Hope this clears things up.

[RobinP]

Calcium citrate is the most biologically easily absorbed calcium. It can even be taken without food. Studies show that you can take up to 500mg-600mg at one shot. In fact, the absorption is increased with Calium citrate once you reach 500mg of dosing, as opposed to other forms of calcium, which have decreased absorption with higher doeses. Don't forget vit D and we all need at least 400mg or more of of it a day. Calerciferol or D3 is the type that is best absorbed. I take multivit. that has magnesium in it as well for bone health.

More on vit D from Becky's post:
<hr style="color: rgb(170, 135, 153);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --> D2 (the less desirable form) must be converted to D3 (for use in the body) by the liver. Most people are very efficient at the conversion but some are not. Also, the ability of the liver to convert is compromised with age so as we get older, we become less efficient at doing it. Both forms are good for you but you need much more of D2 if you are an inefficient converter (which most of us don't know what we are!!??)