ABSTRACT
Osteoporosis is a life threatening disease. One of the important etiologies of osteoporosis is low calcium intake from daily dietary intakes, making calcium salt administration in pharmacological form or as a food additive highly recommendable as a protective mechanism againt this disease, especially in women. Calcium acetate is a water soluble agent whereas calcium carbonate [which is routinely used in pharmacological forms of calcium salts] is not easily dissolved in water; hence we decided to compare the bioavailability of calcium carbonate to that of calcium acetate. During a clinical trial study, 20 normal female volunteers with the appropriate inclusion criteria were enrolled. On the day of study, fasting urine specimens were collected from all subjects, and 2 hours after a meal, a solution of calcium carbonate was administered to all participants and then, again, urine specimens were collected after 4 hours. After a 10 day washout period, this test was repeated with calcium acetate. The results were analyzed with paired t test. The mean increase in urine calcium was 38.55 +/- 6.1 mg and 36.33 +/- 6.14 mg after administration of calcium carbonate or calcium acetate respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between calcium absorption from calcium carbonate and calcium acetate. Regarding the beneficial effects of calcium acetate as a soluble salt, in comparison with calcium carbonate and based on the results of this study indicating the similarity in calcium absorption from these two salts, calcium acetate can be administered as an appropriate substance for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Indeed it can be used in enriching the liquid comestibles