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Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg

Swanson Premium Brand
4.8
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
(918 ratings)
Calcium 500 mg
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Score82
A mixed calcium formula includes useful citrate and offers a long supply. Conflicting amount presentation makes the true serving total uncertain.
How scoring works
Quantity:100 Tablet(s) • (100 servings)
Goals:
Bone Health

Score 82

A mixed calcium formula includes useful citrate and offers a long supply. Conflicting amount presentation makes the true serving total uncertain.
How scoring works
$6.39($0.06 per serving)
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$ 6.39
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$ 6.39
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Analysis

Calcium is supplied through citrate, carbonate, and calcium ascorbate. Citrate adds flexibility, while carbonate generally works best with food.

Each calcium entry is shown at 500 mg, but the product name also refers to 500 mg total. That discrepancy should be resolved from the package before deciding whether the serving is moderate or unusually large.

One hundred tablets and servings make the routine convenient. The formula remains focused on calcium and does not add vitamin D or magnesium.

Who is it for
  • Adults seeking a mixed-form calcium tablet
  • Users who can verify the package amount
  • People whose bone cofactors are covered elsewhere
Best for
  • Focused calcium intake
  • Mixed-form supplementation
  • Long 100-serving routines

Pros

  • Includes calcium citrate
  • Provides multiple calcium salts
  • Offers 100 servings
  • Requires one tablet

Cons

  • Elemental calcium total is unclear from the supplied entries
  • Includes less flexible carbonate
  • Provides no vitamin D or magnesium

Warnings

  • Confirm the true elemental calcium amount on the package because the supplied entries could be read as either 500 mg total or 500 mg per form.
  • Calcium can reduce absorption of levothyroxine and tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics; separate dosing according to prescriber or pharmacist instructions.
  • Take the carbonate-containing formula with food unless directed otherwise.

Nutrient quality

90 Highest impact

Citrate and aspartate improve a blend that also contains basic calcium carbonate. The serving is well targeted, but the supplied form-level amounts are internally unclear.

Ingredient transparency

74 High impact

The total calcium appears clear, but repeated form amounts make each form’s contribution ambiguous. No proprietary blend hides the doses, but full directions and inactive ingredients are not supplied.

Customer satisfaction

71 High impact

The supplied average is exceptionally strong, with moderate response volume. Complaint patterns and purpose-related experiences are not supplied.

Value for money

96 Highest impact

Formula quality appears strong for the asking price. Each serving offers excellent practical value for its useful active dose.

Report analysis

Goals

Bone Health
Bone Health
Impact
High effect
A Goal FitB Strength of SupportD+ CoverageB+ Formula Quality
Calcium · 500 mg

Calcium provides the primary mineral material for bone, and the disclosed amount makes a useful contribution to daily intake. Citrate and other salts may broaden absorption conditions, but the amount supplied by each form is not clear.

The formula has good depth for mineralization while leaving vitamin D, vitamin K, magnesium, and the protein matrix unaddressed. Its focused design avoids unrelated additions but offers less skeletal coverage than a coordinated bone formula.

Study evidence
Calcium Supportive 144 studies

Ingredients

IngredientAmount per serving
Calcium (Calcium Ascorbate, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Citrate)
 500 mg
Adults 18–50
Report overview
Calcium (Calcium Ascorbate, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Citrate) · 500 mg OverallScore92
B Active Ingredient Quality & BioavailabilityA+ Dose, Safety & Label TransparencyA+ Value

Citrate improves absorption potential, while carbonate keeps the ascorbate, carbonate, and citrate blend in a middle tier. The 500 mg serving sits in the absorption-efficient target range. No artificial colors, sweeteners, titanium dioxide, or high sugar are disclosed in the supplied data, while the low serving cost provides excellent collection value.

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88 Performance

Calcium Citrate Pure Powder

NOW
<p>Calcium citrate supplies a substantial, well-absorbed dose in a simple powder with clear active disclosure. Compared with Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg, its calcium form and supporting nutrients may be a better fit where repeated form amounts make the contribution of each salt unclear, despite strong practical value, while the focused formula offers strong value but does not provide vitamin D, vitamin K, or magnesium.</p>
82 Performance

Calcium Citrate

Nature's Way
<p>Citrate and malate improve absorption quality within the mixed calcium formula. Compared with Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg, its calcium form and supporting nutrients may be a better fit where repeated form amounts make the contribution of each salt unclear, despite strong practical value, while active doses are clear, while missing excipient and full use details limit transparency.</p>
82 Performance

Calcium Citrate 600 mg

Spring Valley
<p>A simple calcium product provides a meaningful amount and a long supply at low daily cost. Compared with Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg, its calcium form and supporting nutrients may be a better fit where repeated form amounts make the contribution of each salt unclear, despite strong practical value, while the supplied ingredient details do not confirm the citrate form named in the product title, limiting absorption confidence.</p>
85 Budget

600+D3

21st Century
<p>Calcium carbonate and vitamin D3 provide a focused bone-support pairing at exceptionally accessible value. Its lower recurring cost than Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg makes it a more economical calcium option, while the calcium amount is reasonably sized, though carbonate works best with food and offers less flexibility than citrate. Calcium should be separated from levothyroxine and tetracycline or quinolone antibiotics because it can reduce their absorption.</p>
85 Budget

Calcium Carbonate

NOW
<p>The pure powder supplies a substantial calcium amount with excellent serving value and no unrelated actives. Its lower recurring cost than Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg makes it a more economical calcium option, while calcium carbonate is less flexible than citrate because food and stomach acid aid absorption.</p>
81 Budget

Calcium 500 mg with Vitamin D3

Nature's Bounty
<p>A practical oyster-derived calcium amount and vitamin D3 provide focused bone support with exceptional affordability. Its lower recurring cost than Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg makes it a more economical calcium option, while the likely carbonate source is less flexible than citrate, and duplicate vitamin D wording reduces label clarity.</p>
88 Value

Calcium Hydroxyapatite Caps

NOW
<p>Hydroxyapatite supplies a practical calcium amount with naturally paired phosphorus in a simple capsule. Compared with Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg, its calcium profile offers a practical quality-to-cost trade-off despite not costing less, while clear dosing, strong form quality, and favorable serving value make the formula well suited to routine bone support.</p>
85 Value

Cal/Mag 500 mg/250 mg

NaturesPlus
<p>Chelated calcium and magnesium provide a focused, balanced mineral formula with strong form quality. Compared with Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg, its calcium profile offers a practical quality-to-cost trade-off despite not costing less, while a simple one-serving format and economical cost make it one of the better value profiles in this set.</p>
84 Value

Calcium 600 with Vitamin D3

Nature's Bounty
<p>Calcium and vitamin D3 form a focused, meaningfully dosed bone-support combination with strong serving value. Compared with Calcium (Carbonate Aspartate & Citrate) 500 mg, its calcium profile and lower recurring cost create a more favorable quality-to-cost balance, while calcium carbonate is best taken with food, and the formula does not cover magnesium or vitamin K.</p>
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Sources

Published studies used for the product analysis and the top-ranked studies for each ingredient and goal.

  1. What is the impact of daily oral supplementation of vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) plus calcium on the incidence of hip fracture in older people? A systematic review and meta-analysis.
    Manoj P; Derwin R; George S · International journal of older people nursing · 2023
    Meta-analysis12,620 participants7 studies pooledBone Health forCalcium
  2. Calcium supplementation prevents seasonal bone loss and changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover in elderly New England women: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
    Storm D; Eslin R; Porter ES; Musgrave K; Vereault D; Patton C; Kessenich C; Mohan S; Chen T; Holick MF; Rosen CJ · The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism · 1998
    Randomized trial60 participantsBone Health forCalcium
  3. The effects of calcium supplementation (milk powder or tablets) and exercise on bone density in postmenopausal women.
    Prince R; Devine A; Dick I; Criddle A; Kerr D; Kent N; Price R; Randell A · Journal of bone and mineral research : the official journal of the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research · 1995
    Randomized trial168 participantsBone Health forCalcium
  4. The efficacy of calcium supplementation alone in elderly Thai women over a 2-year period: a randomized controlled trial.
    Rajatanavin R; Chailurkit L; Saetung S; Thakkinstian A; Nimitphong H · Osteoporosis international : a journal established as result of cooperation between the European Foundation for Osteoporosis and the National Osteoporosis Foundation of the USA · 2014
    Randomized trial404 participantsBone Health forCalcium
  5. Calcium-enriched foods and bone mass growth in prepubertal girls: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.
    Bonjour JP; Carrie AL; Ferrari S; Clavien H; Slosman D; Theintz G; Rizzoli R · The Journal of clinical investigation · 1997
    Randomized trial149 participantsBone Health forCalcium