It is important to "gently" provide the body with what it needs to build bone. That is why calcium supplementation should be taken in small doses spread throughout the day. When I formulated OsteoNaturals products I had this in mind. For this reason, each tablet of OsteoSustain has "only" 166 mg calcium. Taking three caplets daily (one with each meal) provides 500 mg. If more calcium is required because of limitations in diet or digestion issues, or if more overall calcium intake has been recommended by a person's health care professional, then, taking one more Sustain or adding one to three caplets of OsteoMineralBoost would be appropriate. By adding Boost to the protocol, not only is additional calcium being provided but also important trace minerals. It is safe to take one OsteoSustain and one OsteoMineralBoost at a single setting. When taken together, they provide 315 mg calcium, which is well below the generally considered safe dose of 400 mg per sitting.
Taking 500 mg or more of supplemental calcium at one sitting can "spike" blood calcium levels. I do not recommend taking high doses of calcium as it could potentially interfere with normal heart rhythms. This concern is cautionary only as research has not determined if this spiking has any long-term deleterious effects.
In addition to ingesting adequate mineral levels for bone building, the key to fighting osteoporosis is to focus on balancing bone remodeling - reducing osteoclastic bone resorption and increasing osteoblastic bone formation.* Regaining balance is best achieved by eating a healthful, well-balanced, alkaline diet; taking quality, nutritional supplements like OsteoNaturals' OsteoStim (the OsteoNaturals product designed to enhance balanced bone remodeling activity); exercising (both cardio and weight-bearing); and evaluating health-related lifestyle behaviors.
Calcium and other minerals from food sources can be ionized in the stomach and bound to dietary protein, carbohydrates, and fat. This ionization will affect the bioavailability of the minerals. Likewise, the common mineral salts used in most nutritional supplements, such as carbonates, citrates, oxides, sulfates, gluconates, aspartates, etc., will also be ionized in the stomach and their absorption is limited. Mineral salts such as these are absorbed "passively" due to their electrical charge. The chelates used in OsteoNaturals products have an "active" absorption process where their "neutral charge" enables a faster, less restrained entry through the intestinal wall. OsteoNaturals minerals traverse directly into the blood stream for optimal absorption and availability.
* In my next blog I will talk about the exciting new research about osteocalcin. This bone-derived hormone has just been found to regulate the acute stress response.