Nutrition: absorption of calcium

Question
I understand that the absorption of calcium is hindered by certain foods, like cooked spinach or coffee. How long is this effect significant? How long after drinking a cup of coffee, for example, should I wait before taking my calcium supplement? Conversely, how soon before I drink my cup of coffee can I take my calcium supplment and allow for best absorption?

Thank you!

Answer
There are no hard, fast rules that apply in this scenario, because everyone metabolizes food differently.  I would say that waiting a half hour after consuming coffee would be sufficient time before taking a calcium supplement.  Also, since supplements take longer to break down and assimilate in the body, it might be prudent to wait an hour after taking one before consuming coffee or other products that interfere with calcium absorption.

One point I would like to make at this time would be to consider obtaining calcium from natural sources rather than to rely on supplementation.  Although, I agree that supplementation is frequently very necessary and important. These products are designed to supplement not replace nutrients obtained through food sources.  (I discuss this in greater detail in my blog http://everydayhealthandwellness.blogspot.com) You should try to eat a variety of beans such as white and navy beans, Naturally Fermented Tofu, cabbage, turnip greens and other dark green leafy vegetables in order to obtain naturally forming calcium that your body needs to be healthy.

Since you are obviously concerned about your calcium intake, I do want to caution you against drinking dairy products.  In addition to a plethora of unnatural chemicals and ingredients that are found in "modern" farmed milk, it contains calcium molecules that are bound by casein, which makes it very difficult for dairy calcium to be used in the human body.  Milk is designed to feed baby calves and not humans.  The size of a calcium molecule from milk is considerably larger than one that is plant based.  Think of the difference in size between a truck tire and a roller skate wheel.  If your bones are constructed with calcium supplied by milk, they are not going to be as dense as those supplied by plant-based calcium. This is why osteoporosis is such a terrible problem in this country.  When you lose a milk-based calcium molecule, it is a much, much larger portion of the bone than if the molecules are plant based.  It is no coincidence that the United States has the highest consumption of dairy products in the WORLD and also the highest incidence of osteoporosis.

Eating lots of calcium rich plant material will ensure that you will have strong bones for a life time.

Please feel free to contact me any time.

Tasha

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