Lactose Intolerant - Should I take calcium pills?

ReluctantDieter88

I'm very lactose intolerant. I don't eat milk, cheese, yogurt, etc. Should I take calcium supplements or is there a lactose-free food I can get calcium from? I'd prefer not to take pills.

_Zardoz_

Actually dairy is not the best source of Calcium (despite what the Dairy industry want you to think) Green leafy vegetables such as Kale, Broccolli have plenty in. Almonds. oranges, figs fortified soya and almond milks, Tahinni and even white flour and bread

ffargynnig

Calcium supplements don't usually have lactose, the one I take is derived from Oyster shells!

shoneybabes

Fatdoob said it all

mscrystallee

Actually dairy is not the best source of Calcium (despite what the Dairy industry want you to think) Green leafy vegetables such as Kale, Broccolli have plenty in. Almonds. oranges, figs fortified soya and almond milks, Tahinni and even white flour and bread

Exactly

ReluctantDieter88

Thanks! I had no idea. I already eat a lot of green vegetables, so I should be covered.

Anonycatgirl

My non-medical opinion: calcium supplements aren't going to hurt, especially if they also have Vitamin D; many people get slightly D-deficient. Just read the label to see what's in the supplements. I do eat dairy, as well as being a big fan of kale and other dark greens, and I have a hard time getting "enough" calcium through diet. (But I'm older than you and I think they up the recommendations for women approaching menopause.)

Anonycatgirl

I meant to say: track how you're doing for calcium if you're concerned. You can put it as an option in the MFP tracker. I did for a while...and decided to go back to calcium supplements until I could find the kale in my garden under all the snow.

KyleB65

Actually dairy is not the best source of Calcium (despite what the Dairy industry want you to think) Green leafy vegetables such as Kale, Broccolli have plenty in. Almonds. oranges, figs fortified soya and almond milks, Tahinni and even white flour and bread

Ditto!!!
Dairy delivered calcium is a marketing myth!
And, many mineral suppliments are hard on your liver. Focus on eating as wide a variety of fruits, veggies, legumes & nuts as possible.

phantomjam

Eat Sardines. They are good source of Calcium and a very good source of Vitamin D and phosphorus which are very important for bone health.

I really disliked them once. Then I started broiling them after sprinkling them with salt, black pepper and hot pepper sauce. Gooooood!

rosebette

Actually dairy is not the best source of Calcium (despite what the Dairy industry want you to think) Green leafy vegetables such as Kale, Broccolli have plenty in. Almonds. oranges, figs fortified soya and almond milks, Tahinni and even white flour and bread

This actually isn't true. A cup of kale provides 10 % of daily calcium needs, while a cup of yogurt provides 30%. How many of us would eat 10 cups of kale a day? I would take the supplement. The only thing that comes close to dairy is sardines, and I don't know how many of us want to eat those! I'm over 50 and eat yogurt and green vegetables, but still am having some bone loss, so I take a women's multivitamin that has calcium in it. The calcium pill won't hurt you, it's relatively cheap, and better than having to go on Fosomax when you're older.

toddis

Eat Sardines. They are good source of Calcium and a very good source of Vitamin D and phosphorus which are very important for bone health.

I really disliked them once. Then I started broiling them after sprinkling them with salt, black pepper and hot pepper sauce. Gooooood!

wait, you can cook them?

littlekitty3

I don't drink dairy, we don't need as much calcium as we think we need anyways. Never broke a bone or suffered from shin splints either

Plus all the positive dairy and calcium related studies are funded by the dairy industry. The countries with the largest dairy consumption have the highest osteoporosis rates. Also why are we the only living creatures still consuming milk after childhood and from another species? Just some food for thought.

toddis

In with : http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=45

Runs before it gets too nutty in here. Might be too late.

phantomjam

Sure. Broiling makes them (sardines) a little crisper and a lot easier to go down. Also, try different brands because some are more offensive than others.

UpEarly

And, if you do like dairy, a lot of hard, aged cheeses have no lactose in them.

For example, my favorite Cabot extra-sharp cheddar is completely and naturally lactose-free.

SergeantNarwhal

Actually dairy is not the best source of Calcium (despite what the Dairy industry want you to think) Green leafy vegetables such as Kale, Broccolli have plenty in. Almonds. oranges, figs fortified soya and almond milks, Tahinni and even white flour and bread

Ya not to keep affirming this but totally spot on - from what I've learned at least. This is a great resource: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/conditions/osteoporosis/calcium_supplements.htm

Also don't forget you can check your calcium levels in your report, definitely reference that if you decide to take a supplement so you know. XO.

neanderthin

Actually dairy is not the best source of Calcium (despite what the Dairy industry want you to think) Green leafy vegetables such as Kale, Broccolli have plenty in. Almonds. oranges, figs fortified soya and almond milks, Tahinni and even white flour and bread

Nope, it a popular vegetarian theme though.

Ground egg shells are the best source for calcium.......

ddslowly

you could also do what i do. take some lactaid and have some dairy. greens with a bit of goat cheese or parmesan is tasty! oh yeah, you could try goat milk based things too. as far as calcium supplements, you may as well start taking one. your doctor will probably be recommending it in a few years anyway.

mtnstar

We switched from dairy milk to coconut milk, which is fortified with extra calcium. Lactose free.

This is my favorite kind:

http://www.tastethedream.com/products/category/772.php

jaz050465

In the UK you can't get lactose free., dairy yogurts.

bcattoes

I am not lactose intolerant, but I don't like milk or most dairy products. I drink soy milk to get calcium.

Other milk alternatives are almond milk, coconut milk, rice milk, and probably some others.

Cakewalk25

I'm lactose intolerant (like most Asians) and I just buy lactose-free milk which is available in most supermarkets. I switched to Unsweetened Almond Milk when I started trying to lose weight because it's 30 calories a cup as opposed to Skim Milk's 90 calories. If I drink 3 cups of that a day I meet my calcium requirement.

evileen99

Where do you think cows get all the calcium they put into that milk?

It's pretty hard for your body to extract calcium from dairy, so as fatoob said, go for the greens.

Alsothere are studies showing that resistance training is more important for bone health than calcium intake.

bcattoes

Also why are we the only living creatures still consuming milk after childhood and from another species? Just some food for thought.

Oh not this again? First of all, we're not (just ask my dog or cat).

But beyond that what other species drinks tea or coffee, or cooks their food, or hundreds of other things we humans do with our food?

lilRicki

I don't eat any form of dairy, so I take 1 multi-vitamin formulated for women, and 1 cup of almond milk (I like the sweetened version :ohwell: ) and that takes care of my calcium deficiency. Also shrimp is very high in calcium.

Edit to add: Vitamin D and Magnesium are best to pair with calcium because they help aid in absorbtion. My multi-vitamin has both in them so I don't have to take other supplements. I'm sure you can get drops at the health food store if you can't take pills.

neanderthin

Where do you think cows get all the calcium they put into that milk?

It's pretty hard for your body to extract calcium from dairy, so as fatoob said, go for the greens.

Alsothere are studies showing that resistance training is more important for bone health than calcium intake.

You do know what bioavailability is, right?

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/70/3/543s.full


This one is from Campbell the Author of the China Study.....the bible for vegans.

http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/58/2/219.abstract?ijkey=a0ef2d18328cec8a2e476fd94350b8f1c54b68eb&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

The results strongly indicated that dietary calcium, especially from dairy sources, increased bone mass in middle-aged and elderly women by facilitating optimal peak bone mass earlier in life.

toddis

"Other components in food: phytic acid and oxalic acid, found naturally in some plants, bind to calcium and can inhibit its absorption. Foods with high levels of oxalic acid include spinach, collard greens, sweet potatoes, rhubarb, and beans. Among the foods high in phytic acid are fiber-containing whole-grain products and wheat bran, beans, seeds, nuts, and soy isolates [1]. The extent to which these compounds affect calcium absorption varies. Research shows, for example, that eating spinach and milk at the same time reduces absorption of the calcium in milk "

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/

beertrollruss

Would calcium enriched soy or almond milk be an option? There's also calcium enriched orange juice.

mortuseon

Would calcium enriched soy or almond milk be an option? There's also calcium enriched orange juice.

I was just thinking this. All of the almond/soy milks I've ever bought (not lactose intolerant, mind you, just like the taste) have been enriched with calcium and other vitamins. So it would be a fairly easy switch if you didn't fancy the pills.

LishLash79

I was taking calcium and was told by my naturo path to stop. I do take a number of vitamins but she said that Calcium was one to stay away from. I would look for food sources besides dairy. Or talk to your dr (well, maybe not.. they don't have very much nutritional training.. naturopath, dieticion?)