6 side effects of calcium supplements you need to know about

Think twice before taking calcium supplements on a daily basis. Experts warn that it could lead to one of these side effects.

By: Anuradha Varanasi | | Published: June 20, 2016 3:18 pm

Calcium supplements are found in every single household’s medicine cabinet and it is used by people from varying age groups on a daily basis. In fact, those who exercise also take calcium supplements to stay fit other than only menopausal women or those suffering from osteoporosis or arthritis. Dr Pradip Shah, Consultant Physician at Fortis Hospital, Mumbai says if calcium supplements aren’t taken in the right dosage or along with certain medications, it could result in one of these six side-effects:

Constipation

Doctors have observed that many patients who start using calcium supplements suffer from constipation. ‘Not everyone can tolerate taking calcium supplements regularly and one of the common side-effects is constipation,’ says Dr Shah. Other than just constipation, it can also cause stomach irritations and abdominal bloating. However, avoid taking any antacids along with your calcium supplements as both of these medicines don’t go well together.

Reduces the efficiency of certain medicines

Other than antacids, the other medicine that is not compatible with calcium supplements is iron supplements. If you make the mistake of taking both of these supplements together as a part of your morning routine, Dr Shah says that they won’t benefit you in anyway. ‘Taking those supplements will go to waste as they are not compatible. Instead, change your timings and take your iron supplement in the morning and the calcium supplement separately in the evening,’ he advises. Remember that there should be a gap of at least three to four hours between taking iron and calcium supplements. Here’s what happens when you take iron and calcium supplements together.

Also, if you’re on medications for any heart ailment, completely avoid taking any calcium supplements. Did you know, studies have found that calcium supplements could put elderly women at heart attack risk.

Kidney stones

If you make the mistake of taking higher doses of calcium supplements over the daily requirement of 1000-1300 mg per day, it could lead to the formation of kidney stones. Other factors that can make you more prone to kidney stones other than taking the wrong dosage of calcium supplements are excessive vitamin C, consuming less water and having a diet with high salt content.

Vitamin D toxicity

If you have calcium supplements and you also take vitamin D medicines separately along with it, it could lead to vitamin D toxicity. The normal vitamin D levels in your body is 30-70 ng/ml and if it goes above 100 ng/ml, it is known as vitamin D toxicity which is caused by the build-up of calcium in your blood. The symptoms of vitamin D toxicity are nausea, weakness, frequent urination and loss of appetite. In the long run, it could lead to kidney problems.

Muscle cramps

Another major side effect of using calcium supplements is that it could cause muscle cramps and pain. This side effect is more common in older people who use calcium supplements because your tissues and muscles start accumulating calcium. Remember to immediately start reducing your intake of calcium supplements if you start experiencing muscle cramps and joint pains. Here are natural remedies to get rid of muscle cramps.

Irritability

Over consuming calcium supplements can also cause irritability and along with that, the patients also complains of feeling confused and in some cases, even depressed. Instead of trying to self-medicate and take supplements on your own, get a prescription from your physician and follow the given doses to avoid any such side effects.

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Published : June 20, 2016 3:18 pm

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