We are often asked if using our plant-based calcium products like Bone Aid or Calcium rather than a prescription calcium product is okay. The answer is yes. However, some factors must be considered to ensure that you match the amount you have been prescribed.

When people refer to calcium in normal language, especially in the context of nutrition, health, and supplements, they are actually referring to a combination of molecules: calcium plus another molecule. Calcium, in its pure elemental form, is a highly reactive metal, and because of its reactivity with water and oxygen, it is not found in its pure elemental form in nature. So, it forms compounds with other elements, such as carbonate or citrate, creating calcium carbonate or calcium citrate. These compounds are stable and bioavailable forms of calcium, which means they can be absorbed and utilised by the body. We call these combination molecules total calcium.

So when we consume calcium, we also consume these additional molecules, but these are not essential to human health like calcium. We can establish the elemental calcium, the actual calcium in the molecule, by looking at the ratio of molecules. For example, calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) consists of one calcium (Ca) ion and one carbonate (CO₃) ion and is 40% elemental calcium (the amount of calcium without the carbonate). However, calcium citrate (Ca₃(C₆H₅O₇)₂) comprises three calcium ions and two citrate ions, resulting in only 21% elemental calcium.

This distinction between total and elemental calcium is essential because different products show different measurements. Many prescription products choose to show the total calcium amount rather than the elemental calcium. We always state the elemental calcium, so if you are considering using one of our products instead of your prescription, you need to know the elemental calcium in your prescription product.

For example, a calcium carbonate product containing 1000 mg of total calcium has 400 mg of elemental calcium, and a calcium citrate product has 210 mg of elemental calcium. However, absorption also needs to be considered. Often, even though there is less elemental calcium in 1000 mg of calcium citrate, it can be more absorbable than the equivalent 400 mg in a cheap inorganic rock-based calcium carbonate.

Our plant-based calcium offers the best of both worlds. It has a high percentage of elemental calcium because it is calcium carbonate, but because it's plant-based and present in seaweed with a 72-trace mineral profile, it's highly absorbable like citrate.

For most people, our Bone Aid is a great choice. It offers 460 mg of highly absorbed elemental calcium with vitamins D and K2, which are essential for proper calcium absorption.

For those who require a higher calcium intake, our Calcium product provides 608 mg of elemental calcium per capsule. By combining one or two capsules of this with our Bone Aid supplement, you can achieve a total of 764 mg or 1068 mg of elemental calcium. This should meet or exceed the elemental calcium in any prescription product and will be much more natural and absorbable.

It's worth noting that the body cannot absorb more than 500 mg of calcium at a time, so when taking higher levels of calcium, it's advisable to spread your intake across the day, ideally with meals to enhance calcium's absorption in the presence of stomach acid.

When considering replacing a prescription calcium product with a supplement, it's vital to understand the specifics of elemental calcium and how it affects your body's absorption. Together Health is dedicated to providing high-quality, transparently labelled supplements to support your health and well-being. If you have any questions about our products or how they compare to your current prescription, please don't hesitate to get in touch for more personalised advice.