I have severe osteoporosis, but I do not want to take calcium. My doctor said calcium supplement has some serious side effects.
Your doctor is right. Nearly all medications have certain side effects. Calcium is no exception.
At normal doses, calcium supplements may cause bloating, gas, and constipation. If you take very high doses of calcium, it can cause kidney stones according to doctors at WebMD (https://www.webmd.com/diet/supplement-guide-calcium).
Calcium is an essential nutrient to humans. The word "essential" means that if you do not ingest calcium in your diet, you cannot survive. Calcium not only is the major building block for bones, but also is a regulator for muscle contraction and body fluid secretion, like vaginal mucus secretion. When calcium is deficient in your diet, the consequences include osteoporosis, lack of energy, and vaginal dryness and atrophy.
Osteoporosis is a silent disease because you do not know you have it until you suffer from a sudden bone fracture. However, you can detect osteoporosis by a bone density X-ray. You can also tell by other indications. For example, when you experience vaginal dryness after menopause, it is a sign of decreased blood calcium. This is an indication that you may have osteoporosis.
The best natural source of calcium is from food. However, for those who do not ingest enough calcium in the diet, they can take calcium supplement pills.
Having developed severe osteoporosis, you may not have sufficient calcium in your daily diet. To overcome calcium deficiency in the diet, you can take calcium supplement.
I understand that you are concerned about potential side effects of calcium supplement.
You should not worry about it. Calcium is a safe nutrient. There are ways to overcome its side effects.
The most important step to avoid side effects of calcium supplement is to follow recommended dosage based on your age.
According to government doctors at National Institutes of Health (https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/), if your age is over 50, the recommended dosage of ingested calcium is 1,200 mg per day. Assuming that you can get about 200 mg of calcium from your daily diet, you should take 1,000 mg calcium supplement per day.
To avoid upsetting stomach, it is best to take calcium supplements with food. To improve absorption, do not take a large 1 gram pill at one time. Taking a smaller pill, like a 500 mg pill, twice a day. For your body to make use of calcium properly, you also need to take enough vitamin D3, K2, magnesium and zinc.
In addition to calcium, magnesium and zinc are also important. For optimal bone and muscle support, particularly for the pelvic floor, a common and balanced ratio of calcium, magnesium, and zinc in dietary supplements is as follows:
1. Calcium: Magnesium - 2:1 Ratio
This 2:1 ratio of calcium to magnesium is generally recommended for optimal absorption and to support muscle and bone health. Calcium is crucial for bone density, while magnesium helps with muscle relaxation, reducing cramps, and supporting calcium absorption.
2. Calcium: Zinc - 10:1 Ratio
A 10:1 ratio of calcium to zinc is a common standard. Zinc plays a supportive role in bone formation and repair and is essential for tissue growth and immune support, especially beneficial for strengthening the pelvic floor.
Suggested Daily Dosages:
A typical daily combination that maintains these ratios would look like this:
Calcium: 500–1,000 mg
Magnesium: 250–500 mg
Zinc: 10–50 mg
You may find calcium pills on the market that have already included magnesium and zinc.
The recommended daily dose for vitamin D3 is 600 IU (https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-929/vitamin-d).
About vitamin K2, you may find this article helpful: https://help.neueve.com/kb/dietary-supplements/about-vitamin-k2-should-i-take-mk4-or-mk7
Calcium, magnesium and zinc are three essential minerals that your body needs for optimal bone, nerve, brain, muscle and cellular health. Many calcium pills have already blended these three minerals together in appropriate proportions. You can get these pills in your local drugstores or online.
In addition to calcium, bones are also composed of collagen. Therefore, supplementing with calcium alone may only provide partial benefits. To support overall bone health, it’s important to include collagen in your diet as well. You can obtain collagen from foods like fish, chicken skin, pork rinds, gelatin or Jell-O, and even gummy bears. Alternatively, collagen supplements are also available for more direct intake.
Can you recommend a good brand for collagen supplement?
What are good sources of collagen in foods?
A major reason that you had a slow recovery of vaginal dryness after using NeuEve is due to calcium deficiency. After your osteoporosis is properly managed by taking calcium supplement, your vaginal dryness will be soon relieved after you are on NeuEve.
Therefore, after taking calcium supplement, your bones will become stronger; your muscle will become healthier, and your vaginal dryness due to a lack of mucus secretion will be soon relieved after using NeuEve.