Calcium Carbonate

Calcium carbonate has approximately 3% absorption or less in most people. Calcium carbonate has severe interactions with 210 drugs. Calcium requires a 1:1 ratio with magnesium to function correctly, but most supplements provide far more calcium than magnesium. Calcium carbonate neutralizes stomach acid, destroying the acidic environment required for its own absorption. Calcium carbonate requires high stomach acid for absorption, a condition many older adults lack. Calcium from carbonate supplementation does not preferentially go to bones but instead contributes to arterial plaque calcification. Taking 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate daily is explicitly not recommended. Calcium carbonate is contraindicated for individuals with kidney stones. Elderly individuals on multiple medications face the greatest compounded risk from calcium carbonate use. Daily supplementation with 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate increases the risk of heart attacks. Multiple studies link calcium carbonate supplementation to increased heart attack risk. Excess calcium carbonate accumulates in arteries and kidneys rather than being deposited in bones. Calcium carbonate is the most common form sold in high-dose bon…