Can I add more calcium?

Hi Andy and everybody,

As you may know that I've started weight training and cardio since yesterday and I'm trying to eat more to gain weight, as well as calories and proteins.

Now I stumbled across this site:

http://nutritiondata.self.com

As per my BMI, it advises me to take 1300mg calcium daily.

I'm taking 800 cal/ 300 mg/ 10mg zinc currently and I was wondering if I can add one more dose, i.e. 1200 calcium, 450 magnesium to support my workouts? I'm a former patient of Osteoporosis as you know and my bones are still not very solid.

So would it be safe to increase the dose? Moreover, recent CAF update too told to take 1000-1200mg cal daily.

What do you suggest Andy?

-P.

Make sure you are accounting for any minerals in other supplements you are taking. Since your ultrasound was clear and there's no fear of kidney stones (drinking plenty of water has great benefits), I don't see any problem raising your dose. Keep in mind that the minerals are better absorbed when vitamin D is taken with them.

Make sure you are accounting for any minerals in other supplements you are taking. Since your ultrasound was clear and there's no fear of kidney stones (drinking plenty of water has great benefits), I don't see any problem raising your dose. Keep in mind that the minerals are better absorbed when vitamin D is taken with them.

Thank you very much Andy.

IP6 (currently not taking btw) also has 116mg or so calcium and 43mg mag. So I think for now, I can try to increase dose by half tablet (i.e. 200mg calcium and 75mg mag) and later on may increase if I may find need to do so.

-P.

I was also wondering mcg to IU conversion about Vit. D.

I take 2 rocaltrol each day, both containing 0.25mcg and totaling up 0.5mcg a day. So how much 0.50 mcg Vitamin D is in IU?

-P.

.25 mcg rocaltrol  is equivalent to about 1000 IU vitamin D. Because it is the pharmaceutical variety, it is more potent, so the dose can be deceiving. You should not take additional D while taking rocaltrol .

.25 mcg rocaltrol  is equivalent to about 1000 IU vitamin D. Because it is the pharmaceutical variety, it is more potent, so the dose can be deceiving. You should not take additional D while taking rocaltrol .

Andy,

Thank you.

So rocaltrol is more of a content or form of Vitamin D?

I ocassionally (mostly sometimes once in 2 weeks) take a full 60,000 IU Vitamin D sachet to maintain my D levels. I hope I'm not doing an excess. My last D report 5-6 months back was 28 or so and I need to work to bring it at least 35-40 and maintain at the same level. Also Osteocare contains 400 IU Vitamin D daily.

-P.

As long as you are being tested occasionally and your level remains low, you are doing the right thing with the added D. It can be a very stubborn level to budge and the high doses seem to be the only method that works well. I actually think that the recommended doses for rocaltrol need to be re-examined in light of all the new findings about vitamin D over the past 5 years.

As long as you are being tested occasionally and your level remains low, you are doing the right thing with the added D. It can be a very stubborn level to budge and the high doses seem to be the only method that works well. I actually think that the recommended doses for rocaltrol need to be re-examined in light of all the new findings about vitamin D over the past 5 years.

Exactly.

When I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis back in 2009, my endo cum diabetes manager/doc told me to get my D levels checked and bingo, they were down to 9 and I was aching in pain.

Then she suggested rocaltrol but it wasn't going to work due to it's low dose and it'd take great deal of time and my pain was turning unbearable. So without myself approaching to Mumbai for checkup, my dad himself went to Dr MB Agarwal in Mumbai with all the reports and that man right there prescribed me a D injection.

I then took just one shot and in 2-3 days, I had great improvement and my D levels rose to 33 from 9 with just one shot.

So the root of pain and many problems in thals arises due to low levels of Vitamin D. Hence I now take utmost care of maintaining my D levels.

-P.

.25 mcg rocaltrol  is equivalent to about 1000 IU vitamin D. Because it is the pharmaceutical variety, it is more potent, so the dose can be deceiving. You should not take additional D while taking rocaltrol .

He He Thanx Andy,

My pending query of Calcitriol = How many units of Vit D3 ? solved.
Thanx.

bye the way ,

I have also taken Vit D3 (Cholecelciferol) Intjection  of 600000 IU ( Yes 6 lacs units)
And advised to repeat at every 6 months.

You're reconfirming what I said about the prescription vitamin D products. They need updating or perhaps, replacement by the high doses taken as often as weekly. (I'm always skeptical of Big Pharma's prescription vitamins. They never seem to match the quality of the natural vitamins that are easily available without prescriptions). Dr Vichinsky told me that doses of 50,000 IU weekly worked well at raising levels in thals. Dr Agarwal is an excellent doctor, who keeps up to date on thal treatment.

Are you all taking zinc supplements?

You're reconfirming what I said about the prescription vitamin D products. They need updating or perhaps, replacement by the high doses taken as often as weekly. (I'm always skeptical of Big Pharma's prescription vitamins. They never seem to match the quality of the natural vitamins that are easily available without prescriptions). Dr Vichinsky told me that doses of 50,000 IU weekly worked well at raising levels in thals. Dr Agarwal is an excellent doctor, who keeps up to date on thal treatment.

Are you all taking zinc supplements?

Yes. Osteocare provides 10mg zinc daily. I came to know its importance since quite a time and the recent update on CAF's website also mentioned that we should take 25mg of zinc daily. Can 10mg be enough, Andy?

-P.

You're reconfirming what I said about the prescription vitamin D products. They need updating or perhaps, replacement by the high doses taken as often as weekly. (I'm always skeptical of Big Pharma's prescription vitamins. They never seem to match the quality of the natural vitamins that are easily available without prescriptions). Dr Vichinsky told me that doses of 50,000 IU weekly worked well at raising levels in thals. Dr Agarwal is an excellent doctor, who keeps up to date on thal treatment.

Are you all taking zinc supplements?

I shifted to Caldikind which is having Zinc from this week.
My Ionised calcium is not improving
it is
Ionised Calcium 1.0 mmol/L(1.12-1.32 mmol/L)

It was the same last year. So i advised to inc the dosage. Two tablets daily. (500mg *2)

In addition Calcirol powder monthly (Cholecelciferol 60000 IU)

Andy,

I recently came across Jarrow's BoneUp Calcium formulas:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/jarrow/boneup.html

It has more calcium, mag, Vit D and many other useful minerals (and the exact 1:2 cal/mag split). There were some reviews which I read on sites like Amazon, etc that were debatable like It contains Magnesium Oxide which is not a good form to take Mg and also about Calcium. One review said that he gave this to his cat and resulted in painful gallstones or such. How true or safe would this be? However, there are more nicer reviews from people that have been taking this since years!

-P.

Andy,

I recently came across Jarrow's BoneUp Calcium formulas:

http://www.bodybuilding.com/store/jarrow/boneup.html

It has more calcium, mag, Vit D and many other useful minerals (and the exact 1:2 cal/mag split). There were some reviews which I read on sites like Amazon, etc that were debatable like It contains Magnesium Oxide which is not a good form to take Mg and also about Calcium. One review said that he gave this to his cat and resulted in painful gallstones or such. How true or safe would this be? However, there are more nicer reviews from people that have been taking this since years!

-P.

Hi Andy,

Any advice?

-P.

Pratik,

At anytime while you've been experiencing the pains, have you ever stopped all of your supplements?