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What does calcium gluconate do?

Page last modified on: August 15, 2008
Question from rge: Can you tell me about calcium d-glucarate...what it does?
Answers —Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.: I bet you mean calcium gluconate. It's one of the more popular calcium supplements, but it's not really the best choice. It may be better absorbed, but it doesn't contain as much elemental calcium as calcium carbonate, which is really concentrated, and very inexpensive. So you only need a couple of tablets to meet RDA's for calcium. You can only absorb 500 mg. of calcium at a time, so if your pill has more, it is really wasted. Take it in separate doses, one in the morning and one at night. Don't forget, the best place to get calcium is from foods in the milk group.
Marisa Weiss, M.D., president and founder: And stick to low- or non-fat dairy products. Tums is a nice way to get your calcium.
Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.: The whole thing with Tums is it is a non-aluminum, non-magnesium calcium. So you should take six a day. It is 200 mg per tablet, and don't take it with food. I keep Tums in my car and pop it when I have to drive somewhere, but I also drink a lot of milk and low-fat yogurt.

On Wednesday, July 19, 2000, our Ask-the-Expert Online Conference was called Food for Cancer Recovery. Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph. and moderator Marisa Weiss, M.D. answered your questions about nutrition and how it relates to cancer recovery.

The materials presented in these conferences do not necessarily reflect the views of breastcancer.org. A qualified healthcare professional should be consulted before using any therapeutic product or regimen discussed. All readers should verify all information and data before employing any therapies described here.

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Meet the Experts

Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph.Ronda Gates, M.S., R.Ph. is an adult development specialist and health promotion educator who develops and delivers programs and products to support lifestyle change.

Marisa Weiss, M.D. is a radiation oncologist specializing in breast cancer and the founder, president, and guiding force behind Breastcancer.org.

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