Things to Think About with Calcium Supplementation

The BBC aired a documentary touting the benefits of calcium. And one of the benefits was its ability to block dietary fat from being digested.

Does this mean that extra calcium in your diet could aid fat loss?

Well, I wish I could say it would. But the bottom line is that taking in a bunch of calcium is most likely NOT going to have a significant impact on your body fat levels. And it’s probably not a good idea to block fat absorption.

You see, certain fats are critical so that your body has the building blocks to produce key hormones.

Furthermore, extra calcium in the form of supplements can have the following effects:

1. Reduced iron absorption. The human body is a very complex organism. If you do X there will always be effect Y. And calcium is NO exception here. Take too much calcium and you’ll impair the absorption of iron. And iron is critical for bringing oxygen to all your tissues?

2. Net negative calcium levels. Ironically, taking calcium in the antacid form can accelerate the loss of calcium and leave you with levels that are lower than before. So try to get calcium from other types of supplements, and if possible, from whole food sources.

3. Stones and potential kidney damage. This is mostly an issue for those who have a history with kidney stones. So if you think you might have kidney issues, please do NOT supplement with calcium without the strict supervision of a doctor.

4. Too much D. Many calcium supplements are super fortified with vitamin D. And if you have hefty amounts of vitamin D coming from other sources in your diet, you risk overdose. Now vitamin D is an exceptional nutrient, but too much of anything is NOT good for you.

A little extra calcium is not going to hurt you. But you do have to be careful with large amounts of supplementation or you run the risk of damaging your health. And remember that when supplementing with any type of nutrient, there are always risks to consider.

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