What’s in Your Calcium Supplement?

Do you know what’s in your calcium supplement?

Limestone.

Most calcium supplements available OTC are made of limestone, aka chalk. Manufacturers of calcium supplements make it easy to swallow or chew, and it’s marketed to the public as good for healthy bones. Limestone is calcium carbonate, which is abundant and very inexpensive to source.

Is it actually good for us? Let’s look at some studies.

One review published in Osteoporosis International showed that calcium supplementation alone, without vitamin D, increased the rate of bone fracture in women.

Another study conducted by Harvard followed 78,000 nurses for 12 years. It found that the nurses who consumed higher volumes of milk had higher rates of bone fracture. The study also found that the risk of hip fracture was 45% higher in women who drank two or more glasses of milk per day.