Overview

Support your bones now so they'll support you later.† This blend of calcium, vitamin D and other minerals supports and maintains optimum bone health.† Additionally, calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.††

†† High-risk groups for osteoporosis include teen and young adult females, most especially White and Asian women, menopausal women and older men and women. A lifetime of regular exercise and a healthy diet that includes calcium builds and maintains good bone health and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Daily intakes above 2,000 mg are not likely to provide any additional benefit to bone health.

Directions

Three tablets daily with food.

Interactions and Depletions

Technical Data

Description

Calcium is a mineral supplement emphasizing key nutrients for the support and maintenance of healthy bone and bone structure.^† Research has shown that supplementing with calcium may reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease, which frequently affects Caucasian and Asian women during their teen and early adult years. Osteoporosis also affects middle-aged and older persons as well as individuals with a family history of the disease. A lifetime of regular exercise and a healthy diet that includes calcium builds and maintains good bone health and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Daily intakes above 2,000 mg are not likely to provide any additional benefit to bone health. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), osteoporosis is a major public health threat for an estimated 44 million Americans. While an adequate intake of calcium during childhood is known to prevent the disease, the NIH recommends adults take 1,000 to 1,200 mg daily to reduce further bone loss and prevent osteoporosis-related fractures.¹ Calcium contains tricalcium phosphate, the exact calcium compound found in bones, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium.

• Includes tricalcium phosphate, the best utilized form of calcium^†
• Provides more calcium and vitamin D than 3 glasses without the fat & calories, or allergy concerns




How Does It Work?


Background
Healthy human bone is made up of collagen fibers impregnated with calcium phosphate. This structure allows for both great strength and ease of movement. As living tissue, bone undergoes continual remodeling throughout life. Bone cells called osteoclasts break down (resorb) bone, while osteoblasts build up bone tissue.^{1, 2} Osteoporosis, a complex health problem, occurs when the rate of bone resorption surpasses that of bone formation. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), building strong bones before the age of 30 is the best defense against developing osteoporosis.³

The reproductive hormone estrogen promotes healthy bone density in both men and women. Estrogen receptors on bone surfaces facilitate bone resorption and bone growth. During the normal aging process, decreased estrogen production reduces the number of estrogen receptors on bone tissues.⁴ As women make and use significantly larger amounts of estrogen than men, their bone density is more estrogen-dependent. Women can lose up to 20 percent of their bone mass in the five to seven years following menopause, making them significantly more susceptible to osteoporosis.³

Recent research has proven that a lifelong intake of specific bone-supportive nutrients is needed for bones to remain strong and healthy, including calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium.^{†5, 6} Calcium is well-known for its bone supportive properties.^†7 Vitamin D plays a major role in calcium absorption and works in the kidneys to help resorb calcium that otherwise would be excreted.^†8 There is also a strong co-dependence of calcium and phosphorus, another mineral crucial to bone health.^†9 Magnesium is found in skeletal structures, providing structural and storage functions.^†10

The chart below details recent clinical findings of the key ingredients in Calcium:



Ingredient	Benefit
Vitamin D	A placebo-controlled prospective study randomized 3270 elderly ambulatory women living in nursing homes to receive either daily supplementation of calcium and vitamin D or placebo for three years. The results found that women in the treatment group had 23% stronger bones than women in the placebo group.† The women's bone density increased 2.7% the vitamin D/calcium group and decreased 4.6% in the placebo group.†11 Supplementation with vitamin D has also been demonstrated to support healthy metabolism and mood, oral health, and immune and neurological health.†12-15
Calcium	Research has consistently demonstrated that calcium supplements, if taken regularly, may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.16 Osteoporosis is a disease, which frequently affects Caucasian and Asian women during their teen and early adult years. Osteoporosis also affects middle-aged and older persons as well as individuals with a family history of the disease. A lifetime of regular exercise and a healthy diet that includes calcium builds and maintains good bone health and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Daily intakes above 2,000 mg are not likely to provide any additional benefit to bone health. A randomized placebo-controlled trial assigned 60 postmenopausal women to one of three treatment arms: dietary milk (24 ounces daily), calcium carbonate (1000 mg/day in two divided doses), or placebo. After 2 years, the bone mineral density (BMD) of the women in the placebo group decreased by 3%; the women in the milk supplemented group averaged a 1.5% BMD loss; the calcium carbonate group, however, experienced no bone loss and showed a significant increase in BMD in the spine and femoral neck (P < 0.05).†17 Calcium exists only in combination with other compounds; their absorbability has been extensively debated and researched. The latest consensus is that a blend of calcium salts provides the best opportunity for healthy bone support.†18
Phosphorus	Phosphorus is a key element necessary for healthy bone mineralization.† Research has demonstrated that phosphorus intake for the support of bone health may be more important than currently recognized.†19
Magnesium	Magnesium intake is associated with bone health and may also produce an alkaline environment, reducing calcium excretion and thus improving bone density.†20 Clinical studies have found that magnesium supports healthy bones in adults.†10



Conclusion

Osteoporosis, a complex health problem, affecting people of all ages. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), building strong bones before the age of 30 is the best defense against developing osteoporosis. Of the 10 million Americans estimated to have osteoporosis, eight million are women and two million are men.³

Calcium's formula was developed from results of rigorous scientific study. The vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium in Calcium have demonstrated effectiveness in building bone density and provide superior nutritional support for the health of human bone. ^† Taking Calcium every day is an important step towards good bone health throughout life.^†



Recommendations


One tablet with meals three times daily



Precautions


If you are pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription drugs, consult your healthcare practitioner prior to use.



How Is It Supplied?


Product No. 17810
180 tablets per bottle



Storage Recommendations


Store at controlled room temperature, 59° to 86°F (15°-30°C).



References



1. Guyton AC, Hall JE. Deposition and resorption of bone. In: Textbook of Medical Physiology.10th Ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders Company; 2000: 903-904.
2. Porth CM. Osteoporosis. In: Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott; 2002:1355-1358.
3. National Institutes of Health. Osteoporosis and Bone-Related Disorders. Available at: http://www.niams.nih.gov/bone/osteoporosis.htm Accessed on May 6, 2007.
4. Guyton AC, Hall JE. Functions of the estrogens. In: Textbook of Medical Physiology.10th Ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders Company; 2002: 934-936.
5. Kitchin B, Morgan SL. Not just calcium and vitamin D: other nutritional considerations in osteoporosis. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2007 Apr;9(1):85-92.
6. Heaney RP. Constructive interactions among nutrients and bone-active pharmacologic agents with principal emphasis on calcium, phosphorus, vitamin D and protein. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001;20:403S-409S.
7. Fleming T., ed. Calcium. In: PDR® for Nutritional Supplements. Montvale, NJ: Medical Economics Company; 2001: 74-79.
8. Grodner M, Anderson SL, DeYoung S. Vitamin D. In: Foundations and Clinical Applications of Nutrition: A Nursing Approach. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2003: 194-198.
9. Shapiro R, Heaney RP. Co-dependence of calcium and phosphorus for growth and bone development under conditions of varying deficiency. Bone. 2003;32:532-40.
10. Grodner M, Anderson SL, DeYoung S. Magnesium. In: Foundations and Clinical Applications of Nutrition: A Nursing Approach. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2000: 224.
11. Chapuy MC, Arlot ME, Duboeuf F, et al. Vitamin D3 and calcium to prevent hip fractures in the elderly women. N Engl J Med. 1992 Dec 3;327(23):1637-42.
12. Caan B, Neuhouser M, Aragaki A, et al. Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of postmenopausal weight gain. Arch Intern Med. 2007 May 14;167(9):893-902.
13. Berk M, Sanders KM, Pasco JA, et al. Vitamin D deficiency may play a role in depression. Med Hypotheses. 2007 May 10; [Epub ahead of print]
14. Tuohimaa P, Pukkala E, Scelo G, et al. Does solar exposure, as indicated by the non-melanoma skin cancers, protect from solid cancers: Vitamin D as a possible explanation. Eur J Cancer. 2007 May 29; [Epub ahead of print]
15. Barnes MS, Bonham MP, Robson PJ, et al. Assessment of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 concentrations in male and female multiple sclerosis patients and control volunteers. Mult Scler. 2007 Jun;13(5):670-2
16. Straub DA. Calcium supplementation in clinical practice: a review of forms, doses, and indications. Nutr Clin Pract. 2007 Jun;22(3):286-96.
17. Storm D, Eslin R, Porter ES, et al. Calcium supplementation prevents seasonal bone loss and changes in biochemical markers of bone turnover in elderly New England women: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1998 Nov;83(11):3817-25.
18. The National Osteoporosis Foundation. Prevention. Calcium Supplements. Available at: http://www.nof.org/prevention/calcium_supplements.htm. Accessed on May 5, 2007.
19. Karp HJ, Vaihia KP, Karkkainen MU, Niemisto MJ, Lamberg-Allardt CJ. Acute effects of different phosphorus sources on calcium and bone metabolism in young women: a whole-foods approach. Calcif Tissue Int. 2007 Apr;80(4):251-8.
20. Ryder KM, Shorr RI, Bush AJ, et al. Magnesium intake from food and supplements is associated with bone mineral density in healthy older white subjects. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2005 Nov;53(11):1875-80.




Additional Information


SUMMARY

The magnesium, vitamin D, phosphate, and calcium in Calcium provide superior nutritional support for the health of bone, colon, musculoskeletal system, immune system, and the retention of healthy cholesterol levels that are already within the normal range.† Calcium's combination of calcium citrate (the most absorbable form of calcium) and calcium triphosphate (the most effective calcium) have been shown in studies to prevent osteoporosis.

Ingredients

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