Have you been told you need to take chewable calcium citrate supplements after weight loss surgery?
Hi! I’m Jamie! I’m a bariatric dietitian who also had weight loss surgery! I had the gastric sleeve back in 2017 and now I help other bariatric patients navigate their nutrition post-op so they can hit their weight loss goals and be the healthiest versions of themselves!
In today’s post, we are going to go over 5 different chewable calcium citrate options as well as discuss why taking calcium supplements is so important after weight loss surgery.
Why do you need calcium after weight loss surgery?
To put it simply, the main reason you need calcium after weight loss surgery is to avoid becoming deficient in it. This is true for all vitamins and minerals after bariatric surgery. To learn more about other supplements, here is a post that covers everything you need to know about vitamins after weight loss surgery.
Calcium is a mineral that our bodies need in order to keep our bones strong and healthy. So it’s important for bone health and other bodily functions.
Calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, so if you don’t get enough of it you run the risk of being deficient which can lead to things like osteoporosis, rickets, or even dental issues like cracked teeth.
After weight loss surgery, there are two main reasons why you need to supplement with calcium to make sure you are getting enough.
- Your intakes are much smaller: even if you eat foods high in calcium (such as milk, dairy, sardines, salmon, etc), your portions are much smaller, so you won’t be getting as much calcium as you did prior to surgery.
- You don’t absorb nutrients the same way: calcium is absorbed in the small intestine. So while malabsorption of calcium after gastric sleeve is likely minimal, after gastric bypass or the duodenal switch/SADI it’s much more of a concern.
But that’s not to say you don’t need a calcium supplement post gastric sleeve – it’s still important!
Calcium Citrate vs. Calcium Carbonate
After bariatric surgery, it’s important to have a calcium supplement in the form of calcium citrate, as opposed to calcium carbonate. Calcium carbonate is what you most likely will find with over the counter calcium supplements at the pharmacy or drugstore.
And while calcium carbonate is just fine for the general population, for bariatric patients you want a chewable calcium citrate supplement to make sure you’re getting the most bang for your buck.
Calcium citrate is better absorbed by bariatric patients. Because after weight loss surgery you produce less stomach acid, it makes it more challenging to effectively absorb calcium carbonate. Calcium citrate also doesn’t need to be taken with food which is ideal for bariatric patients. It’s also less likely to cause stomach upset or kidney stones.
How much calcium do you need after weight loss surgery?
Bariatric patients who have had gastric bypass (RNY) or gastric sleeve (VSG) will need 1200 – 1500 mg of calcium citrate per day according to the ASMBS guidelines. The American Society for Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery (ASMBS) is the organization that oversees bariatric recommendations.
However, if you’ve had the duodenal switch (DS) or the modified duodenal switch (SADI) your needs will be higher at 1,800 – 2,400 mg per day. This is because, with the duodenal switch, a significant portion of the small intestine is bypassed, making it even harder to absorb.
Always be sure to check with your surgeon and/or dietitian at your surgery center to verify what they have specifically recommended is best for you!
5 chewable calcium citrate options
All of the options listed below are chewable calcium citrate options. Each of these brands is a bariatric-specific company, which is ideal because they are well-versed in bariatric patients and care and can offer you the best options for adequate supplementation post-op!
All of the calcium chews offered by these brands are chewable, in the form of calcium citrate, and are 500mg/chew. Most WLS patients will need at least three chews per day. The main difference between these options is going to be the flavors and pricing!
Bari Life
Bari Life is my #1 and preferred brand! This brand is my personal go-to for all bariatric vitamins. I personally think they taste the best and are the ones I consistently take and recommend to my clients and T.R.I.B.E. Members. I enjoy them so much that I now professionally partner with them as well.*
- Flavors: lemon lime, butter toffee (my personal favorite!), fruit punch, sour grape, watermelon
- Price: $34.99 for a bag of 90 servings (a 30-day supply)
*Please note I have a paid partnership with Bari Life Vitamins. I only partner with brands I personally love and trust! If you choose to try them you can use the code TRIBE20 for 20% off your first purchase and 2x rewards points.
Procare
Procare offers a variety of options for calcium supplements. In addition to the calcium chews listed below, they also provide calcium citrate capsules, powder, and chocolate bars.
- Flavors: Dinner mint, cinnamon roll, salted caramel, or they have their “Mocktails” flavors which include: lemon drop, strawberry daiquiri, gin and tonic.
- Price: $32.99 for 90 servings (a 30-day supply)
Bari Balance
Bari Balance was founded by Dr. Eric Smith, who is the celebrity surgeon on TLC’s “1000 lb Sisters.” He is also a wonderful and trustworthy colleague of mine and an advocate for the bariatric community. Dr. Smith also wrote the forward for my #1 best selling book “The Easy Way Out.”
- Flavors: caramel, chocolate, lemon, watermelon rush
- Price: $34.95 for a container of 90 servings (30-day supply)
Bariatric Advantage
If you’re looking for a flavor variety, Bariatric Advantage has you covered! They have SO many flavor options.
- Flavors: caramel, strawberry, tropical orange, chocolate, raspberry, lemon, peanut butter chocolate, coconut, assorted fruit flavors, pineapple mango, assorted sweet flavors
- Price: $38.25 for a bag of 90 servings (30-day supply)
Celebrate
Similarly to Procare, Celebrate bariatric vitamins offers a variety of calcium supplement options in addition to their calcium chews. They also have many flavor options.
- Flavors: grape, chocolate, caramel, watermelon, strawberry banana cream, sweet treats, lemon cream, orange, cafe mocha, mixed fruit
- Price: $34.95 for a bag of 90 servings (30-day supply)
Other things to consider
A few other things to consider when it comes to taking your calcium after weight loss surgery:
- Space out your dosages: it’s recommended that you space out your calcium chews throughout the day vs. taking all of your chews at one time. Spacing them out increases absorption.
- Don’t take with iron: you want to avoid taking your calcium chews at the same time as your iron supplement or your multivitamin if it contains iron. Calcium blocks the absorption of iron.
- Choose the one you like best: try to choose the flavor/brand of calcium chews you like best! It might take some trial and error. But making sure you take one you like will ensure you actually take it consistently! Which is the whole goal.
Need more support?
If you found this blog post helpful trust me when I say there is so much more where that came from!
Educating, supporting, and encouraging bariatric patients is my mission and what I do best! If you’re struggling on your journey and are feeling lost, aren’t sure how to navigate nutrition, and are struggling to hit your goals I’d love for you to check the T.R.I.B.E. Membership!
T.R.I.B.E. is an acronym that stands for “The Real Insights of Bariatric Eating.” It’s my signature membership program. We first opened the doors in 2020 and have supported thousands of bariatric patients since!
The T.R.I.B.E. is your one-stop shop for all your bariatric needs and support. When you join you get:
- access to dozens of self-paced video modules and trainings
- 100’s of recipes and workout videos
- Access to our virtual calendar where we have more than 40+ live support groups every month for nearly daily support. Our groups are led by peer leaders as well as professionals including dietitians and therapists!
Check it out here! And feel free to reach out if you have any questions! The best way to reach me is via email at support@thesleeveddietitian.com.
That’s all for now!
