Calcium acetate

Brand Names

Calcium acetate, Eliphos, PhosLo Gelcap, Phoslyra, PhosLo, Calphron

What is Calcium acetate

Calcium is a mineral that is vital for healthy bones and for several important functions in the human body. You can get it through the diet or through supplementation. Calcium is the most popular dietary supplement. Although lots of the benefits of calcium have been known for quite some time, recent research supposes that there may be some interesting, previously unpredicted benefits of the supplement.

The most common types of calcium supplements include calcium carbonate ("coral calcium") and calcium citrate.

Calcium can be found in:

• Milk
• Cheese
• Yogurt
• Broccoli, kale and Chinese cabbage
• Fortified cereals, juices, soy products and other foods
• Tofu

Side effects of Calcium acetate

You should stop taking calcium and contact your doctor at once if you have noticed such serious side effects as:

• Kidney stones
• Excessive drowsiness
• Muscle weakness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Frequent urination
• Changes in your heart rate
• Confusion
• Signs of an allergic reaction such as: рives or a rash; itching; swelling of the lips, mouth or throat; wheezing or other difficulty breathing.

Less serious side effects of Calcium acetate include:

• Belching
• Gas
• Constipation

Indication

Calcium acetate is used to treat and sometimes prevent such conditions as:

• Heartburn and indigestion (in the form of calcium carbonate)
• High potassium levels in the blood (in the form of injectable calcium gluconate)
• Low calcium levels in the blood (in both oral and injectable forms)
• High phosphate levels in the blood due to kidney failure
• An overactive thyroid gland (hyperparathyroidism)
• Osteoporosis
• Excessive fluoride levels in children (fluorosis)
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Vitamin B12 deficiency caused by the drug metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glucophage XR, Glumetza, Riomet)

It is also can be used:

• To increase fetal bone density when taken during pregnancy
• To reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS) symptoms
• To reduce the risk of colon cancer and breast cancer
• To reduce the risk of strokes
• To lower the risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH) and preeclampsia
• To promote weight loss
• To relieve leg cramps during pregnancy
• To decrease the risk of type 2 diabetes

Precautions

Before taking calcium acetate, you should inform your doctor if you:

• Have an allergic reaction to calcium acetate or any other drugs
• Are taking other prescription and non-prescription medications, including digoxin (Lanoxin), etidronate (Didronel), phenytoin (Dilantin), tetracycline (Sumycin) and vitamins. You should not take calcium acetate within 1-2 hours of taking other medicines, because calcium may reduce the effectiveness of the other medicine.
• Have ever had kidney disease or stomach conditions
• Are pregnant, plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding

Dosage forms

Age	Calcium: Adequate Intake (AI)
0-6 months	210 mg/day
7-12 months	270 mg/day
1-3 years	700 mg/day
4-8 years	1,000 mg/day
9-18 years	1,300 mg/day
19-50 years	1,000 mg/day
51 years and up	1,200 mg/day

Doctors recommend taking calcium supplements with food. For better absorption, you should not take more than 500 milligrams at one time. Split up larger doses over the course of the day. For the effectiveness of calcium, you also need to get enough vitamin D and magnesium.