Calcium supplements
Okay, as of today, I am immunosuppressed on prednisone for the foreseeable future. I have needed to do this for nearly 2 yrs, but I have hesitated. I am 47, perimenopausal and concerned about my bone mass. I don't have osteopenia (precursor of osteoporosis) and there is no dental bone loss at this point. Prednisone is extremely bad for one's bones and combined with my age, I worry.
I need to be doing some weightbearing / stressing exercises and I am working on that. I need to do a lot more, but I needed to feel better to be able to do it. Hopefully, the prednisone will make me feel well enough to exercise more, at least that is what I have to believe about it.
I think I know that I am going to have to break being vegan because I have to take calcium and vitamin D. I don't know that Tums are vegan (not with that list of crap in them) and it doesn't matter because they make me so sick to my stomach I can't stand to take them. Coral calcium is supposed to be the best, but oyster shell is good. Sources of calcium carbonate like Tums is not the best because I'd need 4000 mg to equal 2000 mg of usuable calcium. That is a lot.
Now, if you all have ideas for calcium supplements that are vegan, let me know. Otherwise, I have to have knowledge and thoughts about what is the lesser of evils. Because I love the oceans and coral is suffering with global warming and poaching for fish tanks, I can't really justify using that. I don't know if oysters are destroyed to make calcium or if there are brands that use the shell which is a "byproduct" of some other endeavor. That is to say, if I were using calcium made from shells that would otherwise end up in the landfill, I have a tiny bit less of a problem with it, if that makes sense.
I just need advice here. I am going to need 2000 mg of calcium and 1000 IU of vitamin D on a daily basis. While it would be great to use vegan sources, I might not be able to afford them. I am careful about my diet and that IS sustaining me at baseline, but I am going to alter baseline with the steroids. I just don't want a broken hip in my 50s.
Thanks for your help.
www.pcrm.org type calcium into the search bar you'll get a ton of information - vegan information.
Edit: I've skimmed a few of their documents and haven't found a brand they recommend. Maybe you could email them?
Dragonfly, I feel for you. 2000mg is a lot of calcium to worry about. I found some info:
Calcium Citrate e.g. Citracal or Solgar: Calcium is best absorbed in an acidic environment, hence calcium citrate is the best absorbed supplemental form of calcium. It does not require extra stomach acid for absorption; hence we may take it anytime in a day, even on an empty stomach. However Calcium Citrate usually provides less elemental calcium per pill, therefore one may need to take a relatively more numbers of pills per day depending to the needs. Cautions: people with acid reflux may not be able to tolerate calcium citrate. Sources: Citrus
Calcium Carbonate e.g. Tums or Caltrate: Most calcium pills in the market are in the form of calcium carbonate. It requires extra stomach acid for better absorption, hence it is best taken after meals. Sources: Aragonite, Calcite, Vaterite or (μ-CaCO3), Chalk, Limestone, Marble, Travertine
Dolomite, Bone Meal or Oyster Shell: These naturally occurring calcium pills may contain heavy metal or lead. At the moment, calcium supplements are not tested by any regulatory agency for lead content. Therefore, it's best to avoid.
Calcium Gluconate and Calcium Lactate: These types of calcium pills contain low content of elemental calcium. Hence, one may need to take a large amount of tablets to meet the calcium requirement!
Coral Calcium: This type of calcium is marketed for more than bone health. Its infomercial claimed that it can cure 200 human diseases. It's indeed only Calcium Carbonate.
I'd say to stick with citrate or carbonate, both reliably vegan. Veganessentials.com is a good place to look for different options. These chews have vitamin D2, calcium, and K: http://www.veganessentials.com/catalog/vegan-calcium-fruit-soft-chews.htm
My personal favorite calcium is a liquid blend by "Liquid Health". Very potent and effective...and vegan! I'm worried about the effectiveness of coral calcium. I've done a bit of reading on the subject, and there are lots of people with the opinion that we cannot absorb calcium from that source...including from bone, oyster shell, and rock. Even my nutrition teacher...and my nutrition book say so! That's good for us, no? Coral calcium is effective as an alkalizer...but that's it; and we can find other ways of alkalizing.
Anyhoo, look up Strontium. No, not the chemical in a nuclear bomb. The trace mineral form of Strontium. Supposedly it helps build new bone. I've never heard of such a thing until just recently a customer mentioned it to me. I looked it up online and found some interesting documents of different studies involving Strontium. Check it out!
hey lady...
sorry you are going thru all that. im kinda in the same sort of situation, juggling chronic health issues and trying to build your body up naturally...
i have found vegan calcium supplements (calcium carbonate) and it has vit D in it as well. it is made by Nature's Bounty and i got it at my local drugstore for 6$/ 60 tabs of 600 Ca/ 250 vit D.
it even specifies in the ingredients that it is plant origin.....if, of course, you can see that tiny writing, its there!! :D