Calcium Supplementation with Tums

Introduction to Tums as a Calcium Supplement

Tums (calcium carbonate) is an effective and widely accepted calcium supplement that provides 40% elemental calcium by weight, making it one of the most cost-effective options available, according to the American Journal of Kidney Diseases and the New England Journal of Medicine 1, 2

The American Journal of Kidney Diseases recognizes Tums products as a legitimate calcium supplement formulation, with various formulations providing different amounts of elemental calcium, including Tums EX (300 mg elemental calcium), Tums Ultra (400 mg elemental calcium), and Tums 500 (500 mg elemental calcium) 1
To meet a typical supplementation goal of 1,500 mg elemental calcium daily, 5 tablets of Tums EX or 3.75 tablets of Tums Ultra would be needed, as recommended by the American Journal of Kidney Diseases 1

The New England Journal of Medicine recommends taking Tums with meals to ensure optimal absorption, as calcium carbonate requires gastric acid for proper dissolution and absorption 2

The Advances in Nutrition and the New England Journal of Medicine suggest dividing doses into increments of 500 mg elemental calcium or less to maximize absorption and minimize gastrointestinal side effects 3, 2
Taking more than 500 mg of elemental calcium at once reduces absorption efficiency, according to the New England Journal of Medicine 2

The New England Journal of Medicine notes that if you take acid-reducing medications or have achlorhydria, calcium citrate is preferred over calcium carbonate because it doesn't require stomach acid for absorption, although this is also mentioned by Praxis Medical Insights, the New England Journal of Medicine is the preferred source 2
Calcium carbonate is more likely than other calcium forms to cause constipation and bloating, according to the New England Journal of Medicine 2

The New England Journal of Medicine recommends not exceeding 2,000-2,500 mg of total elemental calcium per day from all sources to avoid increased risk of kidney stones and potential cardiovascular concerns 2

The New England Journal of Medicine suggests calculating dietary calcium intake, determining supplementation need, choosing an appropriate formulation, dosing appropriately, and monitoring for side effects 2
The Advances in Nutrition recommends taking ≤500 mg elemental calcium per dose, with meals, 2-3 times daily as needed 3