Comparison of Calcium Citrate Supplements for Gastric Bypass Patients

According to the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS), gastric bypass patients need 1500 to 2000 mg calcium citrate each day. Calcium citrate supplements come in various forms, although chewable calcium citrate supplements usually have to be ordered online. I've tried a variety of supplements and wanted to share my thoughts with you regarding them.

Calcet Creamy Bites

These are the most delicious chewable calcium citrate supplements I've ever tasted. I think the chocolate fudge flavor tastes like fudge and the lemon flavor tastes like lemon cake. Each one has 500 mg calcium citrate and 500 mg vitamin D3.

The negatives are that each one has 40 calories and three grams of sugar. They are also pretty expensive to use on a regular basis. They can be ordered online from Celebrate Vitamins.

Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate Chewy Bites

These are tasty, too. They come in four flavors: caramel, which tastes like caramel candy; lemon and raspberry, which taste like Starburst candies; and chocolate, which tastes a lot like a tootsie roll. I prefer the caramel ones, personally.

Each one has 250 mg calcium citrate and 125 IU vitamin D3. They only have 15 calories and are sugar free, but the sugar alcohols in them upset some people's stomachs or send them to the bathroom. If a dose of calcium citrate is 500 mg, these work out to about the same cost per dose as the Calcet Creamy Bites, although bite for bite they cost less.

Celebrate Vitamins Calcium Plus Chewable

These are, in my opinion, less yummy than the Calcet Creamy Bites and Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate Chewy Bites. I think they are kind of chalky. They are more affordable, though.

They come in strawberry crème and hot cocoa flavors and contain 250 mg calcium citrate and 250 IU vitamin D3 per chewable tablet.

Citracal Petites

Citracal Petites are tablets meant to be swallowed. They are slightly smaller than most calcium supplements, hence the name "petites." Some people say they think they are still pretty large, though. They can be found in any store that sells vitamins, including grocery stores and pharmacies.

Each tablet has 200 mg calcium citrate and 250 IU vitamin D3. Gastric bypass patients need to take eight to ten of these tablets daily in order to get the amount of calcium recommended by the ASMBS. Generic calcium citrate supplements are cheaper, but the tablets are usually a bit larger.

Upcal D Calcium Citrate Powder

I personally like Upcal D a lot. It's a powder that can be mixed into any drink or soft foods like yogurt and pudding. It dissolves easily and has no taste at all. I like not having to take any more pills during the day; I already have enough vitamins to take. It does start to settle to the bottom of your drink if you let it sit very long, but easily mixes back in if you just stir it a little. Each dose is 500 mg calcium citrate, and it also contains 500 IU vitamin D3.

Upcal D is also more affordable than some of the chewable calcium citrate supplements, like Calcet Creamy Bites and Bariatric Advantage Calcium Citrate Chewy Bites. I've never seen it in stores; I order mine from Colonial Medical, online.

Sources:

Bariatric Nutrition. http://nutrition.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/file/0005/4784/BariatricNutritionReading.pdf. Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient.

Celebrate Vitamins. https://www.celebratevitamins.com/shop/calcium/creamy-bites.html. Calcet Creamy Bites.

Bariatric Advantage. https://www1.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog/list/2/Calcium. Calcium.

Celebrate Vitamins. https://www.celebratevitamins.com/shop/calcium/calcium-plus-chewable/calcium-plus-chewable-strawberry-cre-me-30-day.html. Calcium Plus Chewable.

Citracal. http://citracal.com/en/about-citracal/citracal-petites/. Citracal Petites.

Colonial Medical. http://www.colonialmedical.com/catalog/Upcal-D-120-packets-p-19796.html. Upcal D.