[ksummer19]

There have been a few questions about Calcium recently so I looked up my paperwork from my nut. With what I eat she recommends that I have 2 glasses of Milk and one yogurt per day plus my calcium citrate.

Here is the info;

Calcium is a mineral needed for building and maintaining strong, healthy bones and teeth. Everyone needs adequate calcium throughout life for good health. People who have had weight loss (bariatric) surgery are at increased risk for calcium deficiency – either because they are unable to consume sufficient calcium-rich roods or because they are unable to absorb enough calcium to meet their basic need. Unfortunately, calcium deficiency is difficult to identify because blood calcium levels remain normal even if your diet is very low in calcium. Your body will take calcium from your bones to maintain blood calcium levels, so checking calcium levels in the blood will not tell you if you are getting enough calcium to keep your bones strong and prevent osteoporosis. The potential for developing this debilitating disease after bariatric surgery is totally non-discriminatory; the risk is the same for men and women.

The 4 steps to preventing Osteoporosis
1. If you have had bariatric surgery, you should receive at least 1500 – 1800 mg calcium per day. Strategies to meet post bariatric surgery calcium needs include;
 Choose foods high in calcium (see list below)
 If supplements are needed, choose calcium citrate and make sure it has vitamin D. A chewable or powdered supplement is preferred; if you take a had table, crust it first.
 Avoid supplements with coral calcium, bone meal or dolomite as these can be contaminated with mercury or lead.
 If you need more than 600 mg. calcium from supplements, take it in split doses, 2 or 3 times a day.
 If you have had the lap band surgery, you can also use calcium carbonate.

2. Regular weight bearing exercises can help increase bone mass. Engage in weight bearing exercises regularly. These include walking, jogging, biking and aerobics. Adding free weights or using resistance bands makes these activities even more beneficial.
3. Maintain a healthy lifestyle. This includes:
 Limiting caffeine intake; excessive amounts of caffeine can cause loss of calcium from bones. It is advisable to avoid caffeine altogether after bariatric surgery.
 Limiting alcohol intake; excessive intake of alcohol can reduce calcium absorption. Combined with a diet that may already be low in calcium, alcohol increases the chance for developing osteoporosis even more.
 Avoiding smoking; cigarette smoking has been shown to decrease calcium absorption, resulting in accelerated bone loss.
4. Stay on schedule with annual follow-up visits with your doctor. Remember; if you have had bariatric surgery, you will need lifelong medical follow-up to prevent osteoporosis.

Food Sources of Calcium
Milk 1 cup 300 milligrams Calcium
Yogurt ¾ cup 300
Cheese 1 ounce 200
Mac & cheese ½ cup 100
Canned Salmon 2 ounces 120
Collard Greens ¼ cup 90
Soup made w/ Milk 1 cup 180
Baked Beans ¼ cup 30
Cheese Pizza 1 slice 115
Frozen Yogurt ½ cup 105
Navy Beans ¼ cup 30
Nonfat Dry Milk 1 tbls 100
Cottage Cheese ½ cup 75
Fresh Orange ½ medium 30
Parmesan Cheese 1 tbls 70
Sardines 1 ounce 100
Bok Choy ¼ cup 40
Broccoli ¼ cup cooked 22
Cooked Kale,
Mustard Greens or
Turnip Greens ¼ cup 50

Calcium Fortified Foods
Orange Juice ½ cup 150
Apple Juice ½ cup 50
Calcium Fortified
Cereal 1 cup 150-300
Calcium Fortified
Cereal Bar 1 bar 200
Calcium Fortified
Frozen Waffles 1 waffle 150
Calcium Fortified
Soy Milk 1 cup 200-250

Reading Labels for Calcium
Calcium is stated as a percentage of USRDA which is 1000 mg. So, if a food contains 40% of the USRDA in a serving, it has 400 mg. calcium. It’s best to divide your calcium intake throughout all your meals.

[MsVickie]

Thank you for this post. As you know I have arthritis pretty bad in some of my joints. You listing how much milk and yougart that needs to be consumed is why I do it so much! I know people read what I have been eating and say why does she eat yougart so much for breakfast or snack? Even Cottage cheese and get my big old glass of milk in a day. This is why.

This does help. I dont think it reverses damage to my joints but can prevent more from happening. This is why after i had my surgery.......and wasnt very tolerable of milk I made my self take some in to make my body accept it. I did it a bit at a time until i was able to take it in without worry of dumping or throwing up.

Thanks again for this post....... Cheers with the glass of milk im having right now.

[DocSanae]

Excellent info!

[Kenyar]

wow thanks for posting this!

[not quite Barbie]

Thanks, very helpful to be reminded why I need to eat so much milk products. Think I'lll go have a yogurt now.

[clancythecamper]

K - this is good info but I have a few more questions maybe someone here or Doc can help. I got my results from my dexa scan today and have osteopenia. My # range from -0.5 to -2. I have been taking 1200 mg of calcium citrate with 800iu of vit d however, I was taking it at bedtime so I don't think I'm getting the best benefit. I was taking it at bedtime coz I keep forgetting it so I figured it was better than nothing, but, maybe not...... So, my plan is to take it 1 pill 3xd. My questions are: how long does it take to break it down? Do I have to avoid eating/drinking for 30 mins? 1 hr? 2hrs? Also, do we absorb any calcium from foods at all? How much am I getting from my 2 c skim milk and cottage cheese and yogurt? Sorry for the basic question, but I really need to get this right~~~~

[clancythecamper]

K - this is good info but I have a few more questions maybe someone here or Doc can help. I got my results from my dexa scan today and have osteopenia. My # range from -0.5 to -2. I have been taking 1200 mg of calcium citrate with 800iu of vit d however, I was taking it at bedtime so I don't think I'm getting the best benefit. I was taking it at bedtime coz I keep forgetting it so I figured it was better than nothing, but, maybe not...... So, my plan is to take it 1 pill 3xd. My questions are: how long does it take to break it down? Do I have to avoid eating/drinking for 30 mins? 1 hr? 2hrs? Also, do we absorb any calcium from foods at all? How much am I getting from my 2 c skim milk and cottage cheese and yogurt? Sorry for the basic question, but I really need to get this right~~~~

[ksummer19]

I wish I could answer all your questions. I know it is best to take your Calcium with food. I do my 3X daily w/ each meal. My nut figures in calcium from foods that I eat so I would guess you can count those grams in. Hopefully Doc will be able to help you more. I know my surgeon said studies have shown us people in the midwest need more vitamin D but you live in FL so I wouldn't think you'd have to worry about that.

I hope things get better soon.

[MaggieEley]

Thanks for posting this information!

[DocSanae]

For women, how much calcium is absorbed is going to depend on her age--in other words, menopause/premenopause. The decline in estrogen plays a big part in losing the ability to absorb and utilize calcium. It's known that regular exercise will help some, as exercise will stimulate the bones, so they will absorb more calcium.
Other than that, you need sunshine for VitD to work, so you need some time in the sun, too.

There's no reference to the optimal time during the day in taking calcium, but as Kim says, it is best to take with food. The recommended daily amount is 1000-1200 mg/day, and anything extra is not stored, but excreted, so getting in over the amount you need won't be stored as extra.
Also--this applies with any nutrients--it is best to spread things over time, as the ability to absorb within a certain time range is limited, and what can't be absorbed within certain hours will be excreted. In other words, dividing the total dose in half and taking it twice a day increases the amount absorbed, even if the total daily dosage is the same. Granted, it's going to be tricky with the fact that some supplemnts can't be taken together because they inhibit absorbtion of the other, but you do need to do some juggling.
Good luck in scheduling.