Magnesium, Calcium and Vitamin D

SunnyWLC
1 Recommendation

I have been gathering supplement information for a number of years, after being diagnosed with osteo. Three vitally important things that our bones need are calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D3. I now make absolutely certain to take 400 mg magnesium citrate, which is the most easily absorbed form; 1,500 mg calcium citrate; and critically important is Vitamin D3. Be sure you are buying D3. If the lable does not say "D3", the ingredient name must be "cholecalciferol". The D3 dosage is under constant revision in all my readings, as more is learned about this important vitamin. The recommended amount is 400 i.u. a day, but I've read a lot that suggests more is needed.

There is also the potential to absorb enough D naturally from short amounts of sun exposure (I have read that this can be done in 15-20 minutes), without sunscreen; however those in the northern areas can't get enough D from the sun in the winter. Please do some research on your own about this, and talk to your doctor before taking any supplement, or exposing your unprotected skin to the sun.

I personally prefer to take my vitamin and mineral supplements in separate doses, because it's too hard to find, for example, calcium citrate with enough D, especially because they usually don't include my preferred form of D3. Some of the combination supplements don't have the amounts that I want to take. I can maintain control over the amounts by using separate supplements.

For those who get discouraged trying to keep up with the flood of newly available information, please don't get frustrated! I choose to be grateful instead! I find it incredibly wonderful that we are living in a time when so much attention is being paid to this topic, and so much research is being done. There is rarely a need to immediately make a change after you read something new - take time to research it and wait to see if it turns out to be a good suggestion. I enjoy reading all the information such as the vitamin discoveries. Reading information, discussing it on this site, and sharing your questions with your doctor can help prevent feelings of being overwhelmed.
Wendy

10 replies

Eamenard

Dear Wendy: Your infornmation on the right vitamins is very interesting. Since taking these vitamins, have your DEXA numbers improved? If so, are the improved numbers due to the vitamiins. Also how old might you be? Have read others that questioned the use of calcium at all, as the body gets older it is not going to make bone by itself. Hence the "Forteo" class of drugs that seem to make the body build some bone. The Fostomax versions seem to coat the bones with a protective layer to stop the rate of bone loss. Would be nice to see if vitamins would do the trick w/o the drugs and with old age.

virginiann

Dear Wendy: Your research into calcium and Vitamin D is refreshing. Doctors, convince so many women that drugs is the answer. I believe that the natural way is the best way. I have a journal describing simply how we got this disease. Most of the time it happens at the postmenopausal time frame. Please read the journal and see if this makes sense to you. I think that the lack of calcium and vitamin D as well as magnesium caused the imbalance and put us where we are.

Darlene2

Wendy, thank you very much for this information. I've been a bit overwhelmed since hearing that my bones have gotten much worse since my last bonescan two years ago.

You mentioned that you are grateful. I've given that some thought. If I didn't know that my bones had gotten worse, I wouldn't be able to consider ways to help myself, therefore I am grateful too. Thanks for the encouragement. Darlene

Nancy3

Hi SunnyWLC,

I love this site and am so grateful for people like you who enjoy research. I like to do the same and it is so helpful to have someone to compare notes with.

In my case, it is my husband who has been diagnosed with advanced osteo. However; we are not aware of any fractures and would probably not even be aware of his condition except for a mishap a little over a year ago. He stepped down very hard on one of those parking blocks and began to have severe heel pain. He kept thinking it would get better but finally saw a podiatrist. When the x-ray was done, there were white spaces where there should have been bone. He was advised to get a bone scan, a rare recommendation for men; but the bone scan eight months later revealed his condition. He probably should see an orthopedic doc to see if there is a fracture.

That is some background and the reason for my questions. First he took the wrong calcium because we did not realize it needed to be calcium citrate. This week his doc upped his dose of D3 to 2400IU daily. As you know; it is difficult to get the right mix in one pill.

I have a bottle of Nature Made D 1000 and told him he could use that until we could get more. However; when I read the ingredients, I was surprised to see the ingredients listed as follows: Calcium Carbonate, Cellulose Gel, Stearic Acid, Acacia, Maltodextrin, Croscarmellose Sodium, Magnesium, Stearate, Corn Starch, Vitamin D3 (as the last ingredient). I used to have a subscription to the consumer lab website and thought Nature Made was one of the supplements listed as being what they are advertised to be. Maybe I was wrong and need to become a member again.

We had some difficulty finding Calcium Citrate and first bought some from GNC. Then we read that it is wise to test the soluble properties of the medication. We put two tablets in a glass of warm water for 30 minutes and they did not dissolve at all. Then I found Citracal Calcium Citrate and it passed the test.

Now I have decided to do as you suggested and look for each supplement separately. I am really disappointed to see all the ingredients listed for the Vitamin D from Nature Made. Maybe I am ignorant on the subject and need some enlightenment.

I will appreciate any advice you can provide on purchasing supplements. Unfortunately, we can no longer be assured that prescription meds are pure and that makes buying OTC's even more precarious.

I do concur that taking the supplements over the course of the day is probably the most effective way to benefit from them.

I apologize for the length of this and will appreciate your input. It is getting late here in Texas and I am getting daffy.

Thanks again,

Nancy

Nancy3

Virginiann,

Please tell us where to get the name of the leaflet and the information you recommended we read.

Thanks

SunnyWLC

Hello Eamenard! My bone density did increase and I'm very happy about that. I do take Fosamax weekly, and will continue with my supplements as well. I will keep moving in the right direction!

SunnyWLC

Hi Darlene! It certainly is more challenging to remain grateful, even when faced with distressing news, such as medical test results. If it helps you at all, I will share that my first 3 tests got worse and worse, and I realized I was not doing everything I possibly could, so I changed my outlook and went on offense. Now I'm slowly improving - I was very thrilled to see that I'm now moving in the right direction! It can be overwhelming, which is why groups like this are so helpful! Take care!
Wendy

SunnyWLC

Hi Nancy! I apologize for my delay in replying - I haven't had time to check into this site for a while. I'm sorry to hear about your husband's trauma - it's quite a journey! My advice to you in your search for good supplements is to be patient and just keep checking labels. I am very pleased that lately I've been seeing more and more Vitamin D supplements listing calcholecalciferol and nothing else. I think the word is getting out! If you get tired of haunting vitamin stores and want to buy online, do a search for "Vitamin D3" and you'll see some good sites come up, and you can click on the labels to read what they say before you order them. Take care, and my best wishes to your husband!
Wendy

SunnyWLC

Hi virginiann! Your journal entries are very interesting and informative; it's fascinating to understand how different parts of the body work. I am a believer in learning how to take advantage of what nature gives us, along with a positive attitude. I also have no qualms about adding medication when I feel it is called for, so I take Fosamax. I, too, have read many pros and cons about meds, and each of us must make a very personal and difficult decision about the best path to take. I have so much respect for all the people facing this issue, and appreciate how everyone on this site shares this journey!
Wendy

sharo

Nature Made makes a multivit for women with 1000mg D3. My dr has recommended 2000per day. With my calcium (caltrate) there is 400mg D3 so taking that 2-3 times per day gives me my daily requirement.

Add to the discussion

New user? Join here.
Forgot password?
Keep me signed in on this computer until I sign out

Search

Find information and discussion about health topics in 350,430 posts by members like yourself. Learn more...

Join

Join safe, secure groups sponsored by trusted organizations that care about your health. Learn more...

Connect

Connect with 88,064 members and make friends who share your interests, learn about conditions and treatments, find support and more. Learn more...

You