VSG Maintenance Group
Calcium Carbonate vs Citrate
Ok all you smart maintenance people, which should we be taking? I know at almost a year and a half out, I should know this for sure, but I have heard conflicting accounts now. BTW I have been taking Citrate since the beginning. I am wondering because my Nut tells me Citrate, but I am one of the few people at that center that has had a VSG, almost everyone gets an RNY. Also a friend just mentioned that her pharmacist said "anyone over the age of 40 should take Citrate as we don't have as much stomach acid and Citrate doesn't need acid to break it down. He also said though that if you have an acidic stomach then you shouldn't take Citrate." It's all so damn confusing. LOL
Thanks!
Thanks!
Sandy
"The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up"
Mark Twain 
i dunno either - if the cal carbonate was so worthless why do so many people take it. My nut says the citrate is absorbed with or without food but the carbonate needs food for absorption. or something like that. but in the first few weeks after surgery my instructions were to just chew tums which are carbonate, because its too hard to swallow the big pills. So I take the citrate cuz its supposed to be better. My surgeon says take 500 units 3 times a day but i only do it twice a day for a total of 1000. My recent labs were perfect on this. i think i get extra in dairy. So thats all I know. I have some big jars and bags of carbonate chews that i am going to give away to non barriatric patients. Diane
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I am seeing an endocronologist as I have osteoporosis at the ripe young age of almost 57--ugh. I asked him this question, and he said he prefers citrate for everyone, not just bariatric patients, because it is better absorbed. And, yes, that's true that acid is what breaks down carbonate--that's why Tums work for acid. And in theory, we are producing less acid with our tiny tummies, so we probably don't absorb carbonate as well as the average person. I have bad acid, for which I have to take Protonix, which also apparently somewhat hinders the absorption of calcium. Anyway, bottom line from my endocrinologist: definitely citrate.
Lizanne
Lizanne
Starting BMI-38.5, Surgery 08/14/07
Citrate is the only thing anyone should take per my surgeon and PCM. They both agree (not in the same practice, PCM is a civilian, and surgeon is a military doc), that carbonate is not worthy enough to be counted as a true calcium supplement.
Band to VSG revision: June 3, 2009
SW 270lbs GW 150lbs CW Losing Pregancy Weight Maintenance goal W 125-130lbs
SW 270lbs GW 150lbs CW Losing Pregancy Weight Maintenance goal W 125-130lbs
probably. I think the "C" issue is a side effect of pretty much everything barriatric patients consume. I am sure that BP could have plugged the oil well leak with a few barrels of protein drink. oh well. i am taking my calcium citrate (cheapo costco brand) as i type this. diane
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size 8, life is great
It is my understanding that since the carbonate (even if cheaper) is not all absorbed (compared to citrate) you are not actually getting the dose on the bottle. So if you are only absorbing 1/2 or 3/4 of the dose you think you are getting, you are probably not getting your daily amount. So Citrate is the way to go IMHO.
Kathy
Kathy
27 lbs lost on pre-op liquid diet
