Calcium pills are so HUGE!!

8 years ago

Just found a petite version and I am thrilled! Am I the only one who has to mentally prepare themselves for those giant pills?

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llitm

8 years ago

As an aside, though we are all advised to include vitamin D with our calcium supplementation, very little is mentioned about the important role magnesium plays along with calcium.

"About 43 percent of the U.S. population (almost 70 percent of older women) use dietary supplements containing calcium(1), but without balancing their calcium with magnesium, they may be at risk, says Carolyn Dean, MD, ND. Most people, including the majority of MDs, do not understand key facts about calcium and its sister mineral, magnesium:

Typically, less than half of calcium intake is absorbed in the gut(2), the rest either being excreted or potentially forming kidney stones or being transported to soft tissues where it can harden (calcify).
Adequate levels of magnesium are essential for the absorption and metabolism of calcium and vitamin D.

Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form so that it can aid calcium absorption. Magnesium also stimulates the hormone calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure and draws calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones, lowering the likelihood of osteoporosis, some forms of arthritis, heart attack and kidney stones."

Complete article here: http://deliciousliving.com/blog/time-ditch-21-calcium-magnesium-ratio

Signs of magnesium deficiency here:http://draxe.com/9-signs-magnesium-deficiency/

In addition, different forms of magnesium can benefit different conditions (including insomnia common among post menopausal women) which this article explains:

https://drnibber.com/understanding-different-types-of-magnesium/

Lots of information available on the internet and FB groups.

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Comments (21)

Bunny
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I hate swallowing most pills, but those giant ones are terrible. Yes, I have to mentally prepare myself, make sure it's aimed pointed down my throat, take a big swig of drink, and pray the damn thing goes down straight. Every time I take one.
daisychain Zn3b
8 years ago
But at least they arent floaty. Floaty is the worst. What's the petite version?
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Fun2BHere
8 years ago
I don't have any problem swallowing pills. I learned to tilt my head back so they go straight down. However, sometimes my Vitamin C pill will get stuck. It's about the same size as the calcium pill, but seems to be rougher.
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I don't have a problem with pills either, I swallow several that are a mix of large, small and giant all at the same time. However, once in a blue moon, my husband will complain about the larger tablets he has to take and I bought him a pill cutter so he can cut those in half. He was later told by a nurse that breaking them in half also helps it to digest faster.
Errant_gw
8 years ago
Yeah, where did you find the petite ones? I'm ok with most pills, but those are just awful.
carolb_w_fl_coastal_9b
8 years ago
Capsules work for me - gelcaps are good too.
westsider40
8 years ago
Caltrate mini's are the small ones I take. I cannot take the big calcium pills and they are big.
maire_cate
8 years ago
Maybe it's just me - but it seems that those large pills go down easier if I take them with milk rather than water or iced tea.
patty Vinson
8 years ago
Years ago I took calcium, and when the tests I had came back, it showed calcium in the blood. Apparently if you are taking too much, that's a possibility. You might want to consider taking a half dosage unless it's on the advice of your dr.
ravencajun Zone 8b TX
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I have to take multiple very large pills a day. If you want to see a big pill it's Vascepa! They are like horse pills and it requires taking 4 a day! I quit taking them. My doctor started taking them and she told me she totally understands my hatred of them. In addition to size they gave me fish burps which they swear they won't do that. I switched to krill oil, no problem at all and they are smaller. Vascepa makes calcium pills look like a pea next to them.

A doctor told me years ago to put a dab of butter on the big pills I had a problem swallowing, it does help.
Holly- Kay
8 years ago
I stopped taking a multi vitamin because they are big and I have problems swallowing a large pill. When I was at an organics food store they had a mini version but you had to take 6 a day so were so expensive that I went with the large ones. What a mistake that was. I can get them down but it's such an unpleasant experience that I don't bother. I've always wondered why they don't make multivitamins in a gel version.
User
8 years ago
Most people make the mistake of tilting their head back, but if you already have water in your mouth that move is counterproductive as the pill floats to the top towards your mouth. Leaning forward moves the pill to the back of your throat and makes it easier to swallow. Lots of medical journals (JAMA, Pediatrics, etc) publish a letter to the editor once every few years reminding doctors to tell their patients this.

Other good tips on swallowing big pills:

http://www.drdavidwilliams.com/make-swallowing-pills-easier/

Last year I was hospitalized with esophagitis because a small pill got stuck in my throat and dissolved slowly, making my esophagus swell to the point at which I couldn't swallow and was gasping for breath. I used to swallow everything "dry" with no water and never had a problem but I certainly won't ever do that again!
User
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
I can swallow pills with out gagging. But, I need to keep them moving down, so I pop them in my mouth with a bolus of chewed food (gross, I'm sorry!) and make them go down with the mass of food. I follow up with a few gulps of liquid to make sure they are well on their way down.

I have had the sensation that a pill is stuck, and that's no fun.
User
8 years ago
HollyKay, I take a gummie bear multivitamin.
User
8 years ago
I can't swallow huge pills either. Have you tried the chews like Viactiv? Much easier!
Holly- Kay
8 years ago
Rose and Cindy, that makes sense! Thank you.
User
8 years ago
I take a gummi vitamin, which are actually enjoyable! I had a calcium=D which was like a sugar cube candy, and I just couldn't stomach the sickly sweet of it.

I'm going to go to as much gummi as I can after my pills run out.
amicus
8 years ago
A few years ago someone posted that contrary to what one would think, if you put a pill in your mouth, add a small mouthful of water, then turn your head sideways to swallow, the pill goes down a lot easier. One would think that swallowing when your neck is turned to the side would make it more difficult, but this is the only way I can get my big calcium pills down easily.

kswl, I read your link and saw where the doctor advised to actually tilt your head a bit forward (rather than backward) to swallow a pill easier. I'll try that tomorrow to see if it works just as well for me.
graywings123
8 years ago
If you are taking calcium to strengthen your bones, may I suggest these easy to swallow capsules:
Jarrow Bone Up

Jarrow Formulas Bone Up® Superior Calcium Formula Description

Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite

Potassium Citrate & Natural MK-7
UP-Formulated

Promotes Bone Density

Gluten Free

BONE-UP® provides ossein
hydroxyapatite complex (OHC) (from free-range Australian/New Zealand
calves), which includes the superior combination of the inorganic
calcium lattice of microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (MCHA) within an
organic protein milieu rich in naturally occurring growth factors. The
OHC is combined with vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 as MK-7 (a more
bioavailable form of vitamin K) to support the deposition of calcium
into the bones as well as to assist in building up the organic bone
matrix. Potassium citrate is also added for optimal osteo support.
eld6161
8 years ago
Why not do a calcium chew? I take Caltrate calcium chews. They are with vitamin D. I only take one, rather than the recommended two.

Calcium pills are so HUGE!!

llitm

Comments (21)

Bunny

daisychain Zn3b

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