Depletes Calcium. This medication is commonly used for Stomach Acid
Long-term use of PPIs might raise the risk of calcium deficiency and weaken bones. A potential mechanism for this is chronic hypergastrinemia, a condition where the stomach produces excess gastrin due to PPI use. This can lead to parathyroid hyperplasia, where the parathyroid glands overproduce a hormone that pulls calcium from bones. Additionally, PPIs significantly reduce stomach acid production, which can hinder calcium absorption from food in the intestines. Individuals taking PPIs, especially individuals at higher risk of bone issues or those on long-term PPI therapy, should consider calcium supplementation to help protect against deficiency.
Zhou B, Huang Y, Li H, Sun W, Liu J. Proton-pump inhibitors and risk of fractures: an update meta-analysis. Osteoporos Int. 2016 Jan;27(1):339-47. Yang YX. Chronic proton pump inihibitor therapy and calcium metabolism. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2012 Dec;14(6):473-9. Heidelbaugh JJ. Proton pump inhibitors and risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency: evidence and clinical implications. Ther Adv Drug Saf. 2013 Jun;4(3):125-33.
Calcium Citrate — 75 mg
Across the lifespan, chronically low calcium intake has been linked to higher blood pressure, in part because calcium plays a key role in vascular smooth‑muscle contraction, sodium handling, and endothelial function. Large epidemiologic studies and randomized trials suggest that individuals with higher dietary calcium intake tend to have modestly lower systolic and diastolic blood pressures and may experience a small but meaningful reduction in risk of stroke and other cardiovascular events. The practical takeaway is that maintaining adequate daily calcium, alongside blood pressure control, exercise, and a heart‑healthy diet, may be an underutilized strategy to support vascular health and reduce long‑term cardiovascular risk.
In adults, chronically low calcium intake can quietly erode skeletal integrity, contributing to osteopenia, osteoporosis, and a higher risk of low‑trauma fractures over time. In children, inadequate calcium (often alongside vitamin D deficiency) impairs normal mineralization of the growing skeleton, leading to rickets with bone pain, deformities, and delayed growth, while in adults the same process manifests as osteomalacia with diffuse bone pain and muscle weakness rather than early fractures. The encouraging reality is that optimizing daily calcium intake, paired with sufficient vitamin D, protein, and weight‑bearing activity, has been shown to improve bone mineral density and meaningfully reduce fracture risk in at‑risk populations.
In some patients, significant calcium deficiency leading to hypocalcemia can present with acute respiratory manifestations such as laryngospasm and bronchospasm, often in the context of generalized neuromuscular irritability and tetany. Case reports describe episodes of stridor, tightness in the chest, and even acute respiratory distress that improve as ionized calcium levels are corrected. The key clinical implication is that, when otherwise unexplained laryngospasm or bronchospasm occurs alongside perioral numbness, carpopedal spasm, or muscle cramps, prompt evaluation and correction of calcium deficiency can be lifesaving and help prevent recurrent respiratory compromise.
Calcium Citrate by Solaray — 200mg