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Caltrate Calcium supplement.

Are Caltrate Calcium supplements right for those with Osteopenia? Read on to find out what the research says.

Scientific studies have shown the importance of calcium/Vitamin D supplements in slowing bone loss. Recent studies demonstrate the importance of taking Vitamin D along with any calcium supplement. A number of manufacturers now include Vitamin D in their products and some prescription drugs include Vitamin D recommendations with their information packs.

But the big question most of us with Osteopenia ask is: Which of the many calcium supplements on the market is best for those with Osteopenia?. Many manufacturers make strong claims about their products. This page is set to review: Is Caltrate Calcium supplement the one?

What do the scientific studies say about Caltrate Calcium supplements?

I have found only one scientific study about Caltrate Calcium supplements. In 1991 a study published in the Eur. Journal Clinical Nutrition , “The Effect of three different calcium preparations on urinary calcium and hydroxyproline excretion in postmenopausal osteoporotic women.”. This was a study of 3 brands of calcium supplements: Sandocal, Calsup and Caltrate. The study was authored by researchers at the Division of Clinical Chemistry, Royal Adelaide Hospital, South Australia.

Their conclusion ? There was NO DIFFERENCE IN THE EFFECTIVENESS of the three brands of calcium supplements tested.

If you want to read the conclusions of these scientists for yourself, here it their abstract the authors state:

“Some authors have claimed that 'solubilized' calcium preparations are better absorbed than calcium carbonate, while others have reported that all forms are equally well absorbed. We measured radiocalcium absorption in 35 postmenopausal osteoporotic women and then gave them on three successive evenings, in random order, three different proprietary calcium preparations (Sandocal containing 1 g of effervescent calcium, Calsup containing 1 g of calcium as the carbonate, and Caltrate containing 1.2 g of calcium as the carbonate). The daily urinary calcium excretion rose significantly and similarly on all three supplements and was greater in the high calcium absorbers than the low calcium absorbers. The fasting urinary hydroxyproline excretion was significantly decreased the morning after administration of each preparation, and one-way analysis of variance showed no significant difference between the days of administration or the type of supplement. The decrease was greater for high absorbers than for low absorbers on all three supplements but the differences did not reach statistical significance. By 36 hours after the last calcium supplement the urinary hydroxyproline had returned to baseline. The response of hydroxyproline excretion (and by implication bone resorption) appears to be rapid in onset and short lived. Strict compliance is therefore important in patients on calcium therapy.” For reports about other Calcium supplements (in addition to Caltrate ), you might want to read about