calcium

Vitamin D and Calcium Absorption

So what about vitamin d and calcium absorption? Especially as we grow older, calcium absorption becomes a more immediate topic. Falls and broken bones, osteoperosis and even osteomalacia (softening of the bones) become more of a concern. What role does vitamin d play when it comes to your body absorbing calcium?

The Dynamic Duo

I mentioned that as we grow older, our bones density and strength lessen in most people. Falls can more often result in broken bones. Calcium is a major building block in healthy bones, so many people take calcium supplements.

But unless you are getting your ODI (optimum daily intake) of vitamin d, all those calcium supplements might not be doing you any good. Without enough vitamin d to help the calcium uptake, you’re just losing it in your urine. Bye-bye calcium supplements!

Vitamin D and Calcium Absorption

Vitamin d and magnesium are necessary to help convert calcium in food and supplements to a form your body can use. Check your calcium supplement; does it have vitamin d and magnesium? While it’s more convenient to have them together, it’s not absolutely necessary if you are already taking a vitamin d supplement, along with a multivitamin containing magnesium. But it doesn’t hurt!

Here’s something you may not realize when it comes to calcium. At best, the body can use 40% of what you take in via food. And supplements tend to be worse; anywhere from negligible to around 25%. Why? Because the calcium in food is more bio-available.

Also consider this; calcium uptake starts in the stomach, where it’s broken apart by stomach acids. If your calcium supplement isn’t being digested by your stomach acids, then it’s just passing through your body and on its way out.

Here’s an easy way to tell if your calcium supplement is letting you down or not. Take a half-cup of vinegar and drop a serving (however many tablets that is) into the vinegar. Walk away and come back 20 minutes later. If your supplement is still recognizable as what you put in, your body can’t use it. If it’s dissolved, your body can start the uptake.

How Much Vitamin D?

With an ODI, your calcium needs (via supplements and food) can be cut by 25% to 50%. This is because vitamin d causes calcium to be more bio-available.

(Here’s where you can read more about foods with vitamin d and vitamin d supplements information.)

Vitamin d and calcium absorption go hand-in-hand. If you’re not getting your d, the calcium you take probably isn’t doing you much good.