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06-24-2008, 05:18 PM
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#1 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007 |
Location: Foothills of Mt.Rainier, WA |
Age: 53 |
Posts: 2,016 |
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Are you sure you're getting all the calcium you think you are?
We all know that we should be taking calcium citrate and not carbonate, right?
This has probably been posted before but with all the newbies, it's definately worth mentioning again.
Did you know that the amount of calcium citrate shown on the label isn't necessarily the amount of elemental calcium you think you're getting. And more to the point, it isn't the amount you need for bone health.
If the label says (and I use 500mg as an example):
Quote:
"500mg calcium as calcium citrate" - you get 500mg elemental calcium.
"500mg calcium from calcium citrate" - you get 500 mg elemental calcium.
"500mg calcium (calcium citrate)" - you get 500mg elemental calcium.
"500mg calcium citrate" - you get about 125 elemental calcium.
"500mg calcium" - who knows! Chuck it away.
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__________________
- - 24 September 2007 - Lap RNY
Dr. Sebesta. Madigan Medical Army Center (MAMC)
259.5/224.7/132.5
highest/day of surgery/current
5'5"
127lb gone as of 8/30/2008 ~~~ BMI 22 ~~~
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06-24-2008, 05:32 PM
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#2 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2007 |
Location: Southwest Minnesota |
Surgeon: Dr. Frederick Harris in Sioux Falls, SD |
Age: 47 |
Posts: 1,344 |
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Oh!! I can add to this one...
We buy Calcium Citrate that is labeled as 600 MG. We're supposed to take 1200 MG a day, so we have been taking two a day. We're good...right? Wrong!
Jane noticed a little while back when reading the label that the serving size is 2 pills! That means that the pills are only 300 MG each, so we need to take 4 to get the 1200 requirement.
I've never seen a vitamin labeled this way before and we did not notice it for almost a year.
-Mike-
__________________
TT Squishybear
"If you are going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill
05/30/07 Open RNY
430/346/240.5/225?
Highest/Surgery Date/Current/Goal
6' 2"
TT Gym Rat Club Member #65
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06-24-2008, 10:14 PM
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#3 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006 |
Location: Grand Rapids, Michigan |
Surgeon: Dr Randal Baker; Dr Ronald Ford (TT/BL) |
Age: 52 |
Posts: 6,161 |
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Corrine, I've posted this same information before but it is something that is worth repeating. It actually should be made a sticky. I don't think most people are aware of the difference of the labels and how 500mg Calcium Citrate isn't actually 500mg Elemental Calcium Citrate. Why do they have to make is so hard to understand? It really is kinda frustrating!!
Thank you for re-educating us. You are such a wonderful resource when it comes to vitamins.
Now to get John to make this a sticky! 
__________________
Beth
Little Victories; Grand Rapids, MI
Bariatric Support Group
CherishedTeddyBear-(TT Bear Lover)
The Poetry of Milady
New Beginnings: My Journey to LIFE
359(BMI: 58.8)/ 148(BMI: 24.3)
Highest/Current
Diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, high cholesterol,
peripheral vein disease, joint pain and 211 lbs GONE!!
Century Club: July 3, 2006
ONE-derland: Dec. 22, 2006
Double Century: May 29, 2007
Goal: June 15, 2008
Lap RNY: 1/30/06-Dr Randal Baker
TT/BL: 09/21/07-Dr Ronald Ford
PS Revisions: 04/29/08-Dr Ronald Ford
Gallbadder removal: 06/09/08-Dr Randal Baker
"...if we pay attention to the fact that we can move,
breathe, feel, laugh, cry and notice sunsets,
there is cause for joy."
-Geneen Roth
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06-25-2008, 07:11 AM
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#4 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006 |
Surgeon: Dr. Donald Czerniach |
Age: 40 |
Posts: 7,101 |
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For the 2nd time in a year I have been found to be Vitamin D deficient and have to take a HUGE pill once a week or 6 months.
Make sure your surgeons are testing for this with your other labs. You need the Vit. D to absorb that calcium!!
__________________
Official TT Bear member: DUCKIEBEAR
FOUNDER OF THE DUCKSACK CLUB TT Gym Rat # 83
Lap RNY 3/31/06
Start of program/preop/lowest/current/goal
273/256/132.5 /134/145----- 5'8"
http://www.myspace.com/duckiern
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"If it has tires or testicles, it's gonna give you trouble!"
Visit my website to browse pure SWISS beauty and skin care products for the entire familiy! http://PureSkincareProducts.myarbonne.com
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06-25-2008, 12:19 PM
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#5 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007 |
Location: Foothills of Mt.Rainier, WA |
Age: 53 |
Posts: 2,016 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Duckie
For the 2nd time in a year I have been found to be Vitamin D deficient and have to take a HUGE pill once a week or 6 months.
Make sure your surgeons are testing for this with your other labs. You need the Vit. D to absorb that calcium!!
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AND IT SHOULD BE VITAMIN D3 (cholecalciferol)!
Duckie - I had the same problem.
The prescription for 50,000IU Vitamin D turned out to be D2 (ergocalciferol) and not the dry form D3 (cholecalciferol) - this is worth reading from the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition The case against ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) as a vitamin supplement -- Houghton and Vieth 84 (4): 694 -- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition " vitamin D2, or ergocalciferol, should not be regarded as a nutrient suitable for supplementation or fortification."
And this is short and sweet from Bariatric Advantage:
Quote:
How is D3 different from D2?
Vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) is differenet from vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). D2 is the most common commercial form because it can be readily prepared from plant materials that contain the compound ergosterol. Vitamin D3, cholecalciferol, is the form that animals (including humans) synthesize from cholesterol, and is considered to be the natural form of the vitamin. D3 is estimated to be 3 times more potent than vitamin D2
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You can get 50,000IU D3 (dry form) online - the cheapest I've come across is from vitalady.com - $22.55/100 caps (they're tiny).
__________________
- - 24 September 2007 - Lap RNY
Dr. Sebesta. Madigan Medical Army Center (MAMC)
259.5/224.7/132.5
highest/day of surgery/current
5'5"
127lb gone as of 8/30/2008 ~~~ BMI 22 ~~~
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06-25-2008, 02:42 PM
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#6 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006 |
Surgeon: Dr. Donald Czerniach |
Age: 40 |
Posts: 7,101 |
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THanks for the info!!
__________________
Official TT Bear member: DUCKIEBEAR
FOUNDER OF THE DUCKSACK CLUB TT Gym Rat # 83
Lap RNY 3/31/06
Start of program/preop/lowest/current/goal
273/256/132.5 /134/145----- 5'8"
http://www.myspace.com/duckiern
"Life is 10% what happens to you, and 90% how you react to it."
"If it has tires or testicles, it's gonna give you trouble!"
Visit my website to browse pure SWISS beauty and skin care products for the entire familiy! http://PureSkincareProducts.myarbonne.com
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06-25-2008, 08:10 PM
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#7 (permalink)
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2008 |
Location: NC |
Age: 42 |
Posts: 65 |
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I'm not sure I see the difference in line 3 and line 4 - (other than what I assume is 375mg difference)
Corrine - I'm sure you've answered this several times before - but what brand of Ca do you take?
__________________
440/393/280/?
High/DOS/Current/No Goal Set
Lap RNY 4/01/08
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06-25-2008, 09:09 PM
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#8 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007 |
Location: Foothills of Mt.Rainier, WA |
Age: 53 |
Posts: 2,016 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AToM
I'm not sure I see the difference in line 3 and line 4 - (other than what I assume is 375mg difference)
Corrine - I'm sure you've answered this several times before - but what brand of Ca do you take?
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3. calcium (calcium citrate)
4. calcium citrate
Basically, if it just says "XXmg calcium citrate" then you're getting calcium salts too and that makes up approximately 75% of your dose, the other 25% being elemental calcium that we need. In a nutshell, you have to take 4 times as much.
What calcium citrate do I use? - the cheapest as long as I get all the elemental calcium I need in one dose.
I'm far enough out to use tablets. These are usually the most costs effective and even though they're pretty big, if you can't swallow them as is (or cut in half), they're soft enough to chew up a bit and wash them down with a bit of water. They're just a little chalky.
If you're still a little confused, go for Citracal (all the range comes with the necessary vitamin D3 too).
__________________
- - 24 September 2007 - Lap RNY
Dr. Sebesta. Madigan Medical Army Center (MAMC)
259.5/224.7/132.5
highest/day of surgery/current
5'5"
127lb gone as of 8/30/2008 ~~~ BMI 22 ~~~
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06-26-2008, 01:39 AM
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#9 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2008 |
Location: Chicago, Il to Horsens, Denmark |
Surgeon: Dr. Jens Fromholt Larsen |
Age: 42 |
Posts: 415 |
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ok...am i goona catch flak for this?
I take calcium carbonate. I KNOW it requires acid to absorb so I chew it up with orange juce. Above that, I drink between 3/4- 1 liter (3/4-1 qt) milk a day.
My dietician says this is ok.
Anyone have some feedback on this?
Princesse
__________________
Life is too short to dance with fat chicks...
Highest: 170+kg/375+lbs
Pre-op: Nov 2006
Weight: 165kg/364 lbs
BMI: Nov 2006: 61
Surgery: Feb. 2007
Weight: 143kg/315.2
BMI: Feb. 2007: 53.1
June 2008:
Weight: 83.2kg/183.4lbs
BMI: 30.6
Since Nov. 2006: -81.8kg/180.3 lbs.
Since Feb. 2007: -58.8kg/129.6 lbs.
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06-26-2008, 09:23 AM
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#10 (permalink)
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007 |
Location: Foothills of Mt.Rainier, WA |
Age: 53 |
Posts: 2,016 |
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Quote:
Originally Posted by princesse
ok...am i goona catch flak for this?
I take calcium carbonate. I KNOW it requires acid to absorb so I chew it up with orange juce. Above that, I drink between 3/4- 1 liter (3/4-1 qt) milk a day.
My dietician says this is ok.
Anyone have some feedback on this?
Princesse
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Princess,
It's doubtful that citric acid in orange juice can come anywhere near to performing the function that hydrochloric acid in the stomach would.
Bloodwork merely measures the amount of calcium in your blood and your blood does a really good job of taking calcium from your bones as and when it needs it. Although we think of calcium in terms of bones and teeth, we also need it for our muscles, blood clotting, nerve transmission, cell membrane maintenance etc. etc.
Anyways, he only accurate way of determining that you have sufficient calcium stores is to have a densitometry or DEXA scan done on a regular basis. And unless you're doing that, there is no way of knowing whether your intake of calcium cabonate (and milk) is sufficient for your needs.
Calcium in your bones is like a savings bank and your blood is constantly making withdrawals. If you're not depositing enough to keep the calcium levels up in your bones, ultimately you're going to be overdrawn and that could lead to osteoporosis. And the worst is, you won't know that's happening until it's too late.
What form of calcium you take is your choice but at 42, now might be the time to do some serious research into this.
__________________
- - 24 September 2007 - Lap RNY
Dr. Sebesta. Madigan Medical Army Center (MAMC)
259.5/224.7/132.5
highest/day of surgery/current
5'5"
127lb gone as of 8/30/2008 ~~~ BMI 22 ~~~
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