Vinegar Test Calcium

Vinegar Test Calcium. Taking 1500 gr of elemental Calcium will do not do you any good, if the tablets do not dissolve in your stomach.

One of the ways of telling if your calcium supplement is likely to dissolve in your stomach and not go right through your intestinal track is to perform this simple test in your kitchen.

If you want to test several forms of calcium to find out which will dissolve fastest, use several glasses of vinegar and put one table in each glass.

It is a simple, 'at home' test - certainly not infallible. But itshould be of help when choosing a supplement.

The New York State Department of Health web sites states the following about the Vinegar Test Calcium:

"Calcium must dissolve in your stomach before it can be absorbed in your intestines and then used by your body. . . . If your supplement does not have a USP symbol, you can easily test it to find out if it will dissolve.

Simply put the supplement into a glass of clear vinegar. This creates an acidic environment much like that of your stomach.

Stir the solution occasionally.

If the calcium supplement disintegrates within 30 minutes, it should dissolve in your stomach, too.

If the supplement does not completely dissolve, choose an alternative calcium supplement."

They also advise that " If you are taking acid blockers for indigestion, reflux or other gastrointestinal conditions, your body may use calcium citrate better than other calcium compounds.

Acid blockers reduce the acid in your gastrointestinal tract that is usually required for calcium absorption. However, unlike other calcium compounds, calcium citrate does not require an acid environment for calcium absorption.

Finally, they suggest that you "Read the supplement label to find out the calcium content in milligrams (mg) per serving. The label may refer to the calcium as elemental calcium. This distinguishes the weight (mg) of calcium alone from the weight (mg) of the calcium compound (such as calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium phosphate, or others). It is also important for you to check the serving size to find out how many tablets or capsules provide a specific amount of calcium."

Here is an abstract about this test as done in a lab that was published in the Am. Journal of Hosp. Pharm in 1992. See: Vinegar test Calcium