Calcium Supplements

Tina Adcock, RPh

We have heard about calcium requirements for a long time for post-menopausal women. What we are hearing lately is recommendations for increased calcium intake for practically everyone. Children and young adults need calcium to build strong bones, and older men and women need calcium to slow bone loss.

The current RDA for calcium in most adults is 800mg daily,but 1,200 to 1,500mg is a better goal. It's hard to get this amount from food, so calcium supplements are in order. The pharmacy stocks many calcium supplements - tablets and capsules ranging from 250mg to 900mg. A new Tums 500 calcium supplement, chewable in fruit flavors, supplies 500mg of elemental calcium. Calcium supplements are inexpensive,especially in comparison to treating broken bones and bone loss. Previous concerns about thyroid supplements leading to bone loss have been modified recently. We are learning that normal thyroid replacement does not increase bone loss. The recommendations from research indicate that taking 200 mcg or less of levothyroxin isn't usually a problem. Bone loss is more common in women taking higher doses, but estrogen replacement can protect those women. Also, people may need a lower thyroid dosage as they get older.

An interesting new topical prescription, Dovonex (Calcipotriene) ointment, has appeared recently. It contains a form of Vitamin D which helps stimulate normal skin growth and development in the treatment of psoriasis. It is not recommended for use on the face and may cause some skin irritation, but dose not have the side effects of thinning of the skin or rebound effect as steroid treatment does. Vitamin D absorption does occur and up to 100 grams of the ointment may be used weekly before serum calcium levels might increase excessively.