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Calcium Citrate Complex

Swanson Premium Brand
4.8
(399 ratings)
Calcium 250 mg
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Score 62.0

A very affordable calcium supplement combining citrate and carbonate for decent elemental calcium. However, it lacks essential co-factors like Vitamin D, magnesium, and Vitamin K2, limiting its effectiveness for comprehensive bone and heart health.

Quantity: 100 Capsule(s)Servings size: 1 Capsule(s) (100 servings)
Selected goals:
Other goals:
Bone Health
Heart Health
Joint Health
Muscle Gain
Fitness

Score 62.0

A very affordable calcium supplement combining citrate and carbonate for decent elemental calcium. However, it lacks essential co-factors like Vitamin D, magnesium, and Vitamin K2, limiting its effectiveness for comprehensive bone and heart health.

Analysis

This product contains 500mg of elemental calcium per serving, sourced from both calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. The inclusion of calcium citrate is beneficial as it is generally well-absorbed, even for individuals with lower stomach acid, while calcium carbonate provides a higher percentage of elemental calcium per dose. This dual-form approach offers a practical balance. However, the product's primary drawback is the total omission of crucial co-factors. Vitamin D is essential for the intestinal absorption of calcium, and magnesium plays a vital role in bone mineralization and regulating calcium levels. The absence of Vitamin K2 also means there's no specific support for directing calcium away from arteries and into bone, which is a key consideration for heart health alongside calcium supplementation. Despite its excellent price point, this incompleteness impacts its overall efficacy for comprehensive bone, joint, and heart health.

Pros
  • Combines Calcium Citrate and Calcium Carbonate, offering a balance of bioavailability and elemental calcium content.
  • Exceptionally low price per serving, making it a very cost-effective calcium option.
  • Provides a decent 500mg elemental calcium per serving.
Cons
  • Completely lacks Vitamin D, which is crucial for calcium absorption.
  • Does not include magnesium or Vitamin K2, both important for bone health and proper calcium utilization.
  • Absorption of the carbonate portion may be less efficient for individuals with low stomach acid.
Warnings
  • To ensure effective calcium absorption, supplementation with Vitamin D is highly recommended when taking this product.
  • Individuals with a history of kidney stones should consult a healthcare provider before taking calcium supplements, especially those high in carbonate.
$7.39($0.07 per serving)
iHerb
$ 7.39
Ingredients
IngredientAmount per serving
Calcium (Calcium Citrate, Calcium Carbonate) 250 mg
Adults 18–50
Categories
Calcium 62.0
Offers an economical blend of calcium forms with a good elemental dose. However, its lack of critical co-factors like Vitamin D, magnesium, and Vitamin K2 positions it as a basic rather than a fully optimized calcium supplement.
Goals
Bone Health 60.0
Provides a good dose of calcium in a beneficial mixed form, but the absence of Vitamin D, magnesium, and K2 significantly reduces its ability to optimize bone density and strength, making it less complete than ideal bone formulas.
Heart Health 55.0
Calcium is important for cardiac function, but the lack of Vitamin K2 is a drawback as it helps direct calcium to bones and away from arteries, a vital aspect for comprehensive heart health when supplementing with calcium.
Fitness 55.0
Adequate calcium is essential for muscle contraction and nerve impulses, supporting overall fitness. However, without Vitamin D for absorption and magnesium for muscle function, its comprehensive support for fitness performance is not optimized.
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