Calcium is essential for the proper functioning of the body, but levels can decline with age or certain conditions. Calcium aspartate is claimed to have a high absorption rate, but medical experts are still unconvinced and recommend established supplements and calcium-rich foods.
Calcium does more than build and maintain strong bones; It is also integral to the proper functioning of the hormonal, nervous and circulatory system. However, as the body ages or develops certain physiological conditions, calcium levels can decline, leading to many dietary changes and supplementation of compounds such as calcium carbonate or calcium sulfate. Not everyone is satisfied with the absorption rates of these compounds and may turn to unproven alternatives such as calcium aspartate, which is touted by manufacturers to absorb almost completely into the body and cause fewer side effects. Though as of 2011, these claims have not convinced established medical institutions.
The US National Institutes of Health (NIH) publishes a recommended daily allowance of up to 1,300 mg of calcium to prevent conditions such as arthritis, especially as old age sets in. The NIH considers reliable alternatives to calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, and calcium phosphate. A vitamin D supplement is also reported to help the body absorb calcium. These combinations, calcium carbonate in particular, have been shown to be effective in human clinical trials.
The manufacturers of calcium aspartate claim to have the best absorption rates among the various calcium compounds at 92 percent. On the website advertising the EZorb brand of calcium aspartate supplements, this supposedly superior ability is supposed to help people avoid gallstones and bladder stones that form when the body doesn’t absorb enough calcium. It is also recommended as a supplement to help children develop stronger bones and teeth. All told, the manufacturer claims to be “extremely effective” in combating bone decay, osteoarthritis, bone spurs, generalized pain, fibromyalgia, and osteoporosis.
Many medical experts are still unconvinced about calcium aspartate as of 2011. The NIH has not added the compound to its list of acceptable supplements, and the Food and Drug Administration has not evaluated the claims. Dr. Andrew Weil, on his website dedicated to answering common health care questions from an integrative medicine point of view, stated that calcium aspartate and another supposedly well-absorbable supplement, coral calcium, have not yet they have been unequivocally shown to be viable replacements for more -established compounds.
Calcium aspartate has not been shown to be effective, or ineffective, in supporting calcium levels in the body. However, the body is getting more calcium than it previously had at a potentially higher rate of absorption. In addition to supplements, doctors pressure older patients to eat more calcium-rich foods to hedge their bets. These include not only dairy products and red meat, but also lots of grains and vegetables.
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