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Calcium
Beyond Strong Bones
By Kelly Burgess
According to Dr. Kamhi, a much better choice is calcium citrate, which studies have shown is absorbed much better than carbonate, and doesn't cause the gas or stomach upsets that are sometimes linked to carbonate. Another kind of calcium is called microcrystalline hydroxyapatite. It has been shown to have much better absorption potential than citrate but is more expensive and non-vegetarian.
But, again, Dr. Kamhi notes that diet, not supplements should be the main source of any nutrient, including calcium.
You've heard it all your life: Drink your milk! But more and more nutritional experts are saying that the calcium in milk may not be effectively absorbed by the human body, and, thus, may not contribute as much as we hope it does to building healthy bones.
Dr. Alan Gaby is the author of Preventing and Reversing Osteoporosis: What You Can Do About Bone Loss – A Leading Expert's Natural Approach to Increasing Bone Mass (Prima Lifestyles, 1995). He says that milk is an excellent source of calcium – but for baby cows, not for people.
"In terms of milk there's some evidence that milk is not protective [as a bone mass builder] and may even have a negative affect because of the high protein content, which tends to block the absorption of calcium," Dr. Gaby says. "There are some studies that show heavy milk drinkers have less bone mass than those who get their calcium from other sources."