Get Informed: Calcium
Active Ingredient(s)
Calcium Carbonate
What does it do?
This product is used as both an antacid and as a dietary supplement.
- Last Text Update:
- 2010-Mar-21 9:04 AM
- Last Data Update:
- 2010-Mar-20 9:02 PM
Other Names
- Calcium
- Tums
- Mylanta
- Caltrate
- CAL-500
- Tums Extra Strength
- Oscal
- Calcium Carbonate
- Citrical
- Tums EX
- Calci-Chew
- Tums Antacid
- Tums 500 Calcium
- Calcarb
- Oscal 500
- Oysco
- Oyst-CAL
- Rennie
- Cacit
- Setlers Antacid
How Safe Is It?
- Your Risk Rating
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- Average Risk Rating
-
- Pregnancy Category:
- B
- Black Box Warning:
- No
Facts & Figures
- Date Approved
- 01 Jan 1930
- Est US Patients*
- 5,003,000
- Generic Available
- Yes
- OTC Available
- Yes
User Age Distribution*
< 21
21-39
40-59
60+
Age (Years)
* Estimated number of US people currently taking Calcium or its active ingredient based on population adjusted patient numbers registered with iGuard.org.
Recent alerts for Calcium
There have been no iGuard.org alerts regarding Calcium during the past year.
Calcium Safety Report
Learn more about iGuard's risk ratings
- Please login or register (it's free) so iGuard can check how Calcium interacts with other drugs and diseases in your profile.
What is Calcium used for?
iGuard is currently tracking more than 33,300 patients that use Calcium (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)). Use the table below to learn why iGuard users take this product; click on any underlined condition to get information on other medications used for treatment.
| Disease / Condition | % | Average Severity |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Supplement | 48% | 
|
| Osteoporosis | 41% | 
|
| Heartburn/GERD | 22% |
|
| Menopausal Symptoms | 9% |
|
| Other | 2% |
|
How well does Calcium work?
iGuard regularly polls our more than 33,300 users taking Calcium (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) using the Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medications (TSQM) . This feedback is continuously updated in tables below for the benefit of the iGuard community. To request scores for specific patient subgroups, please contact research@iguard.org.
Average Satisfaction Score
(out of 10)
Average Effectiveness Score
(out of 10)
- 82%
- of patients are confident that the good things about Calcium outweigh the bad things.
- 8%
- of patients wish they were told more before they started taking Calcium.
Common Side Effects of Calcium
iGuard regularly polls our more than 33,300 users taking Calcium (or similar drugs with the same active ingredient(s)) to monitor the development and frequency of side-effects. This feedback is continuously updated in tables and graphs below for the benefit of the iGuard community.
8% of patients experience side-effects on Calcium
< 1% of patients experience signifcant side-effects on Calcium
Most Common Side Effects...
-
Constipation
-
Abdo Pain/Cramps
-
= 10%
Global Patient Feedback for Calcium (Calcium Carbonate) ( Post a comment )
Question/Comment:
I take Atenolol and calcium. How many hours of separation should there be for each of them to be optimally effective?
66 year old female
66 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-03-20 12:00:49
Question/Comment:
I have recently been diagnosed with Osteopenia. My doctor said to increase my calcium to 1200 mg (from 600) and vitamin D to 800 IU(from 400). Also prescribed Actonel (once a month). From what I am reading all of this is OK if I don't take the calcium and D until about 2 hrs AFTER I take the Actonel and the rest of the month I should take the calcium spread out through the day??
61 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-02-15 19:44:53
iGuard Answer/Reply:
The Actonel should be taken in the morning on an empty stomach. You should separate your calcium until later in the day, at the same time each day. A good routine would be Actonel upon rising, then calcium at lunch and dinner. You should make sure you split your calcium doses, taking 1/2 of your daily dose at lunch and half at dinner time.
Posted: 2010-02-16 20:41:48
Question/Comment:
I take calcium with D not only for my bones but also for pain. How does it work to treat pain?
52 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-31 19:59:28
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Vitamin D works by helping neurotransmitters work better. When vitamin D levels are too low, there can be overall muscle aches, which are sometimes diagnosed as fibromyalgia. Once the levels are adequate, sometimes less pain medication is needed.
Posted: 2010-02-07 21:33:28
Question/Comment:
When is the best time to take calcium and witht he exception of aspirin, does it affect any other meds?
65 year old Female – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2010-01-26 13:34:28
iGuard Answer/Reply:
Calcium can affect the absorption of other medications. It is best to separate when you take it from other medications by two hours. It is also best to take only 500mg at a time as this is the most your body can absorb at one time, so dividing the dose can maximize how much calcium you absorb.
Posted: 2010-01-27 23:33:06
Question/Comment:
Would Mylanta ultimate strength chewable tablets interact with
Ursodiol which I take for gallstones?
63 year old Male – Source: iGuard United States
Posted: 2009-11-19 00:17:36
iGuard Answer/Reply:
The Mylanta may interfere with the effectiveness of ursodiol. It is recommended to take the ursodiol at least 1 hour before or at least 2 hours after the Mylanta.
Posted: 2009-11-21 18:46:19
You may post comments for the benefit of other patients or post questions other patients might be able to answer. Comments are submitted for possible publication on the condition that they may be edited. Only your age and gender will be published with your comment, although your other user details will be securely recorded for verification purposes.
Comments may be either questions or answers to previously posted questions. Any iGuard.org user may post questions and reply.
83
Patient Comments about
Calcium