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Abbey Littlejohn
Calcium is a vital mineral essential for strong bones and teeth. It also plays a role in various bodily functions, such as muscle contraction, nerve transmission and blood clotting.However, most people don’t consume enoughcalcium-rich foodsand may turn to calcium supplements to bridge the gap.
While calcium supplements can be beneficial, it’s important to know how they may interact with certain medications. These interactions can alter the drug’s effectiveness or the absorption of calcium itself, potentially leading to unintended health consequences.
If you are taking calcium supplements, this article will tell you everything you need to know to avoid interactions with your medications.
What Happens to Your Body When You Take Calcium Every Day
Calcium Supplements & Medication Interactions
Here are five medications that are most likely to adversely interact with calcium supplements.
1. Levothyroxine
It may also be necessary to adjust the timing of your medication. Taking levothyroxine on an empty stomach and several hours apart from calcium supplements can help minimize this interaction for proper absorption.
2. Antibiotics
“Certain antibiotics, specifically those in the classes of tetracyclines and fluoroquinolones, may bind to calcium and negatively impact the effectiveness of the medication,” saysMichelle Rauch, M.Sc., RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist for The Actors Fund. “This binding inhibits absorption of the medication, making it less effective against infection.”
Examples of common tetracyclines include doxycycline and minocycline, while commonly prescribed fluoroquinolones include ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin and moxifloxacin, says Rauch.
Taking these medications several hours apart from calcium supplements may help mitigate this interaction and ensure they can be properly absorbed into the bloodstream.
3. Omeprazole
4. Thiazide Diuretics
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5. Iron Supplements
Ironis an essential mineral that supports various bodily functions, including the production of hemoglobin. While iron is not technically a medication, calcium supplements may interfere with its absorption and decrease its efficacy.This interaction occurs in the gastrointestinal tract, where calcium competes with iron for absorption. Taking iron and calcium supplements at different times of the day may mitigate this interaction. For example, taking iron supplements in the morning and calcium supplements in the evening can help ensure optimal absorption of both nutrients.
Precautions and Recommendations
Whether you are already taking acalcium supplementor are considering adding one to your regimen, it’s essential to proceed with caution, especially if you’re already taking medications. Just because calcium is natural doesn’t mean that it is necessarily safe for everyone. The truth is that calcium can interact with certain medications, influencing their effectiveness or causing harmful side effects.
Keep in mind that just like calcium supplements,calcium-rich foodscan also affect the absorption of certain medications. Before making any changes to your diet or adding calcium supplements to your routine, speak with a health care professional. They can offer personalized advice based on your health history and current medications to tailor the right plan for you. Additionally, a health care professional can conduct necessary tests to determine if you truly need a supplement or if dietary changes might be sufficient.
Your health care provider can also tell you which form of calcium to look for in your supplement. “Calcium supplements come in various forms, like calcium carbonate and calcium citrate,” says Rauch. “Certain forms are recommended for those who are on medications that impact stomach acidity,” she says. Since calcium supplements can block the absorption of certain medications, ask your provider about the optimal time to take each.
The Bottom Line
Even though calcium supplements can be purchased without a prescription, they can still impact the absorption and effectiveness of certain medications. This may alter their therapeutic effects, especially those that require precise dosing.
If you are considering a calcium supplement, it is important to engage in open communication with your health care provider, especially if you take prescription medication. This proactive approach can prevent complications and ensure that your medications work optimally.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.Passarelli S, Free CM, Shepon A, Beal T, Batis C, Golden CD.Global estimation of dietary micronutrient inadequacies: A modelling analysis.Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(10):e1590-e1599. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00276-6Duntas LH, Jonklaas J.Levothyroxine dose adjustment to optimise therapy throughout a patient’s lifetime.Adv Ther. 2019;36(Suppl 2):30-46. doi:10.1007/s12325-019-01078-2Wawrzyniak N, Suliburska J.Nutritional and health factors affecting the bioavailability of calcium: a narrative review.Nutr Rev. 2021;79(12):1307-1320. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa138.Losurdo G, Caccavo NLB, Indellicati G, Celiberto F, Ierardi E, Barone M, Di Leo A.Effect of long-term proton pump inhibitor use on blood vitamins and minerals: A primary care setting study.J Clin Med. 2023;12(8):2910. doi: 10.3390/jcm12082910.Akbari P, Khorasani-Zadeh A.Thiazide Diuretics. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus.Hypercalcemia.Abioye AI, Okuneye TA, Odesanya AO, et al.Calcium intake and iron status in human studies: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized trials and crossover studies.J Nutr. 2021;151(5):1084-1101. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa437.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.Passarelli S, Free CM, Shepon A, Beal T, Batis C, Golden CD.Global estimation of dietary micronutrient inadequacies: A modelling analysis.Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(10):e1590-e1599. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00276-6Duntas LH, Jonklaas J.Levothyroxine dose adjustment to optimise therapy throughout a patient’s lifetime.Adv Ther. 2019;36(Suppl 2):30-46. doi:10.1007/s12325-019-01078-2Wawrzyniak N, Suliburska J.Nutritional and health factors affecting the bioavailability of calcium: a narrative review.Nutr Rev. 2021;79(12):1307-1320. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa138.Losurdo G, Caccavo NLB, Indellicati G, Celiberto F, Ierardi E, Barone M, Di Leo A.Effect of long-term proton pump inhibitor use on blood vitamins and minerals: A primary care setting study.J Clin Med. 2023;12(8):2910. doi: 10.3390/jcm12082910.Akbari P, Khorasani-Zadeh A.Thiazide Diuretics. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus.Hypercalcemia.Abioye AI, Okuneye TA, Odesanya AO, et al.Calcium intake and iron status in human studies: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized trials and crossover studies.J Nutr. 2021;151(5):1084-1101. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa437.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.Passarelli S, Free CM, Shepon A, Beal T, Batis C, Golden CD.Global estimation of dietary micronutrient inadequacies: A modelling analysis.Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(10):e1590-e1599. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00276-6Duntas LH, Jonklaas J.Levothyroxine dose adjustment to optimise therapy throughout a patient’s lifetime.Adv Ther. 2019;36(Suppl 2):30-46. doi:10.1007/s12325-019-01078-2Wawrzyniak N, Suliburska J.Nutritional and health factors affecting the bioavailability of calcium: a narrative review.Nutr Rev. 2021;79(12):1307-1320. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa138.Losurdo G, Caccavo NLB, Indellicati G, Celiberto F, Ierardi E, Barone M, Di Leo A.Effect of long-term proton pump inhibitor use on blood vitamins and minerals: A primary care setting study.J Clin Med. 2023;12(8):2910. doi: 10.3390/jcm12082910.Akbari P, Khorasani-Zadeh A.Thiazide Diuretics. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus.Hypercalcemia.Abioye AI, Okuneye TA, Odesanya AO, et al.Calcium intake and iron status in human studies: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized trials and crossover studies.J Nutr. 2021;151(5):1084-1101. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa437.
National Institutes of Health. Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium - Fact Sheet for Health Professionals.
Passarelli S, Free CM, Shepon A, Beal T, Batis C, Golden CD.Global estimation of dietary micronutrient inadequacies: A modelling analysis.Lancet Glob Health. 2024;12(10):e1590-e1599. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(24)00276-6
Duntas LH, Jonklaas J.Levothyroxine dose adjustment to optimise therapy throughout a patient’s lifetime.Adv Ther. 2019;36(Suppl 2):30-46. doi:10.1007/s12325-019-01078-2
Wawrzyniak N, Suliburska J.Nutritional and health factors affecting the bioavailability of calcium: a narrative review.Nutr Rev. 2021;79(12):1307-1320. doi: 10.1093/nutrit/nuaa138.
Losurdo G, Caccavo NLB, Indellicati G, Celiberto F, Ierardi E, Barone M, Di Leo A.Effect of long-term proton pump inhibitor use on blood vitamins and minerals: A primary care setting study.J Clin Med. 2023;12(8):2910. doi: 10.3390/jcm12082910.
Akbari P, Khorasani-Zadeh A.Thiazide Diuretics. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024
National Institutes of Health. Medline Plus.Hypercalcemia.
Abioye AI, Okuneye TA, Odesanya AO, et al.Calcium intake and iron status in human studies: A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis of randomized trials and crossover studies.J Nutr. 2021;151(5):1084-1101. doi: 10.1093/jn/nxaa437.
