Is Calcium Phosphate Bad For You?
Short answer
Calcium phosphate is one way of getting the calcium you need in your diet. It's not bad for you, although it may interfere with the absorption of medication in your stomach or cause digestive disruption in large amounts.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Everyone needs calcium in their diet. Most need around 1,000 milligrams a day; older women - especially those at risk of osteoporosis - need around 1,200 milligrams. The best sources of dietary calcium are vegetables like broccoli. You can also get a healthy amount of calcium from dairy products.
To increase the amount of calcium in their diet, some people elect to take calcium supplements. Calcium phosphate is one of those supplements. There's not much of a significant difference between calcium phosphate and other calcium supplements - the main distinguishing factor is the amount of available calcium per pill.
Calcium phosphate does have phosphorus as well. You need a certain amount of phosphates to maintain good bone health. If you're experiencing phosphate deficiency, calcium phosphate can help to stabilize your bones against damage. That doesn't mean that you should load up your diet with phosphate-rich foods in hopes of getting Wolverine-strong bones - too many phosphates may actually cause bone damage over time. It's unlikely, though, that you'll get tipped into damaging levels of phosphates by taking calcium phosphate.
Taking calcium supplements instead of eating foods like broccoli means that you miss out on the fiber, calories, and nutrients that are "packaged" with calcium in those foods. That's not a bad thing, per say - some people may want to avoid eating more food because they're watching their calorie intake closely. If you're missing more than just calcium in your diet, however, you may want to consider eating foods that deliver both calcium and the other nutrients that you need rather than trying to get those nutrients via supplements.
Calcium supplements have an absorptive effect in the stomach. They "sponge up" certain medications in the digestive system, interfering with your body's efforts to absorb those medications. If you're taking other medications alongside calcium supplements, you should check with your doctor to ensure that there's no interference between the two.
Calcium sulfate can sometimes cause digestive disruption as well. You may experience gas, bloating, or diarrhea - especially if you're taking larger doses. If you do experience one variety of digestive distress or another while supplementing with calcium, please consult with a doctor before continuing.
Possible short-term side effects
- can absorb certain medications
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gas
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bloating
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diarrhea
Benefits
- can help meet calcium and phosphorus requirements
Healthier alternatives
- get your calcium from natural sources like broccoli
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