Doctor's Best Calcium Bone Maker -- Why I Consider it The Best

My closest girlfriend often says “every single person should take Vitamin D, even if they don’t take any other supplements… and coQ10.” She’s very educated on .. well everything, including health and supplements, which is why I call her my knowledge base and life mentor (she loves this task. I tell her she loves it every day, and she has come to believe this to be true… I think.)

Image source: Cheezburger.com

So, 2 of my health-conscious, supplement-loving friends and I were discussing the importance of Vitamin D this evening (a super exciting topic for 

all three of us!)

After spending 20 minutes naming off all the benefits each of us were aware of, we started comparing the brands of Vitamin D we use.  Lucky for me, after comparing and figuring up best price for deal on all three brands, the one I’m using came out on top!

Image source: James Provost (flickr.com)

 The supplement I take to get my Vitamin D each day is actually a Calcium supplement! 
( which I got from Solly's Health Shop -- a favorite for supplements)

We came to the conclusion, that among all 3 of us, this brand (Doctor’s Best) was far better of the 3 because of the following:

  1. It’s a Calcium supplement and it contains 1800 IU of Vitamin D along with 600 mg Calcium, which is a good amount of both for people who are at risk of bone density loss (like myself) and trying to build it up well.

Image source: www.j24worldchampionship2009.com

  2. Having that much Vitamin D and Calcium in one supplement as the Calcium Bone Maker Complex has, means I don’t have to go buy, and add yet another supplement to my diet – without Vitamin D, taking Calcium is useless – because the Doctor’s Best Calcium Bone Maker Complex is basically an all-in-one for everything you need for good bone health (and of course the added benefits these vitamins have).

•  Doctor's Best Calcium Bone Maker contains Vitamin D-3, the best D you can get.

The preferred form of Vitamin D is D-3 (cholecalciferol). Here is why:

   There are different forms of Vitamin D (of course) and the “standard” form (which is D-2) used in “lower quality supplements” (this phrase, according to Kerri Knox, RN- The Immune Queen) is not the best you can get, by far.

       Vitamin D2 has shown to be poorly absorbed, according to researchers and has a short “half life” than D3.

You would need up to 30% more D2 than you would D3 just to get the same results!

 

Source: ‘The Value of Vitamin D3 over Vitamin D2 in Older Persons’ Barbara J. Zarowitz PharmD, FCCP, BCPS, CGP, FASCP

     “Researchers have made the statement that Vitamin D2 is not even suitable for supplementation or fortification.” (From ‘Vitamin D2 or vitamin D3?’ Mistretta, VI et al.)

This D vs. D-3 is really interesting information, especially considering it isn’t widely known, so most of us go about getting whatever supplement is cheapest and thinking we’re on the right path. Sadly, we have to dig and dig just to be healthy as the “big guys” are too into greed. I won’t go into rant mode. Just wanted to put this out there since I just learned it myself.

At the end of the post, I'm going to discuss the importance of Vitamin D more in-depth, and its role in our health since it applies greatly to calcium and absorption, and also because its included in this Calcium Bone Maker supplement.

For now, I'd like to go into more information as to why we came to this conclusion about Doctor's Best Calcium Bone Maker being such a perfect supplement (for my needs, anyway):

Abosorption of Calcium

Calcium is kind of a complicated supplement as far as understanding its usage and your needs. There are a lot of different factors when it comes to deciding what calcium is the right one for you. For instance, some people who have low stomach acid levels have problems absorbing calcium. For those people, their body will only absorb 4% of a calcium carbonate supplement, or  if you have normal acid levels in the stomach, you can absorb 22% of calcium carbonate.

However, taking a supplement that has organic calcium (like calcium ascorbate or Doctor’s Best, as it contains organic calcium), your body can absorb 45% of the supplement, which is much better than just 4 or 22%!

What form of Calcium is best?

    Doctor’s Best Calcium Bone Maker Complex contains “high quality calcium from MCH-Cal.” MCH-Cal is Ossein Hydroxyapatite, also known as “calcium hydroxyapatite.”

-Doctor’s Best Calcium Bone Maker Complex contains vitamins, too:

Vitamin C (as Ascorbic Acid), Potassium (from Potassium Citrate), Vitamin D (as D 3) , Vitamin K (as K2), Magnesium (from dimagnesium malate), Zinc (from zinc Monomethionine) Copper (from Copper Gluconate), Manganese( from Manganese Citrate) and Boron (from Boron Citrate).

I’ll explain why the calcium supplement contains all these extra things.

1. As we know, taking a calcium-only supplement isn’t going to do any good unless you also have the other necessary “ingredients” to help it deliver. Just like with pretty much any vitamin.

 That is a huge reason I love Doctor’s Best Calcium Bone Maker Complex (because I don’t have to worry about taking an extra 5+ supplements just for this one to do its job. It’s all there in the one supplement.) So it's convenient.

2.  We know that Vitamin D helps us absorb calcium, but Vitamin K (specifically K2, which is what is in this supplement) directs the calcium to your skeleton  preventing it from being deposited in the wrong spots like the arteries, for example. 

Image source: Health-fitness.com.au

Vitamin K2 is needed to bind calcium into the matrix of  bones.

The Vitamin K (also included in the Bone Maker Complex Supplement) is also important to be used in combination with calcium because it, combined with Vitamin D means prevention from blood vessel calcification. It inhibits soft-tissue calcification.

 

Vitamin K also prevents osteoporosis, tooth decay, cardiovascular disease, liver cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer and many more.

Image source: Nature.com

About the Vitamin D

Vitamin D is important because your body needs it in order to absorb Calcium.

According to niams.nih.gov, someone under 70 (like me) needs 600 IU of Calcium daily. Note: As I've said, the "daily recommended dosings" for vitamins are very off, always under the amount we need, in my opinion. Research it for yourself. (More details on dosing at bottom.)

This is good because one serving (6 capsules) of the Bone Maker supplement contains 1800 IU.

Now, after all this new awesome information I’ve been learning about Vitamin D – D-3 in particular, and here I thought I knew it all – I have decided to add onto this post and include a brief bit in Vitamin D deficiency. I think this is important considering most Americans are definitely deficient in this Vitamin.

 Symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency

For starters, here are just a few symptoms of Vitamin D deficiency.








 (Bear in mind that this list is not exhaustive and having one or more symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean you’re absolutely deficient there. Sometimes, Vitamin deficiencies have few symptoms that signify the problem)

Image source: www.vitamindwiki.com

Other problems could also cause these symptoms, so please just use your logical thinking when trying to figure these sorts of things out, but do keep this deficiency in mind, if any of the following described your symptoms:

Muliple Sclerosis:

 Vitamin D deficiency can cause symptoms similar to MS (multiple sclerosis), which is why some people are left confused when they are checked for MS and not diagnosed with it although the symptoms are right on par, sometimes.

In fact, as I stated previously, some people say Vitamin D can put MS into remission!

Vitamin D deficiency is more common in people with kidney disease, liver disease and some others because these diseases make it tougher for Vitamin D to convert into its active form.

 -Overweight, tough time trying to lose weight.

-Low energy levels

-Weakened teeth, fragile bones.

-Depression is a very common symptom of vitamin D deficiency, and isn’t widely recognized. Especially depression that comes on without any obvious cause/reason.

-Other mood problems can signify deficiencies in Vitamin D, which was the case for me.

-Dental problems such as increased cavities, etc.

 

P.S. Vitamin D deficiency isn’t always easy to diagnose, and if your doctor isn’t aware that you could be deficient, bring it up, and to find out, ask them to check  concentrations of calcidol in your blood.

Severe symptoms from Vitamin D deficiency include the obvious: 

bone-softening, rickets, osteoporosis, bone fractures, bone pain, muscle cramps, chronic fatigue, muscle weakness, osteomalacia, etc.

Better understanding of Osteomalacia   (Image source: epharmapedia.com)

More on Dosing for individuals 

Image source: functionalhealthtests.com

Kerri’s articles are of major use in learning about Vitamin D, and while researching, I learned from her articles that it’s important to get your Vitamin D levels checked so you know just how much to be taking. 

She recommends this strongly because apparently, it’s very common for people to take less than they need if they just “guess,” whereas getting “a level,” as she refers to it will prevent you from taking far too less than you really need.

 I’ve yet to get to this, but she says you can do it via your doctor – which isn’t a very obtainable way for me, and others – or you can do an at-home Vitamin D lab test (and think I’ve found one that you can do in-home without having to ship off to a lab for results.)

In my opinion, either way you go, it’s far better to be taking at least the daily recommended amount  (I always go above the daily recommended value because researching it always shows that you should be taking far more than the DRA. 

So go search to find out what your real recommendation is,  based on your size, age and health conditions.

That way, we at least have a decent idea for starting out, and can always “get a level” later. But, it’s true that the daily recommended doses for vitamins are always much lower than what we truly need, so it’s important to figure out the real dose that will at least produce some useful results.

Image source: Neen James from Neenjames.com

Vitamin D deficiency risk factors (or “things you’re at risk for if you are deficient in Vitamin D)

 

Diabetes

Heart Disease

Depression

Schizophrenia

Multiple Sclerosis

Obesity

Hypertension

Early Death from ANY cause

Arthritis

High Blood Pressure

Auto-immune diseases

Heart disease

Aches and Pains (like in the hands)

Colon and other Cancer

Osteoporosis

 

P.S.   The author who wrote the article “Vitamin D-3 vs. Vitamin D” states “One researcher states adamantly that plenty of research shows that if everyone were to have Vitamin D Levels of at least 40 ng/ml, then 75% of breast and colon cancers would be prevented.”

*I, however, didn’t see where she mentioned the name or info about the researcher who came to this conclusion, but I do think it sounds legit with all the other information I’ve been reading on Vitamin D, but you do your own research to be sure for yourself. 

Don’t just take what I or anyone else says as fact, and if you come across anything that you think may be of use to me on the topic, I’m all ears!

  so appreciate when you guys pipe in and give me info as well. I’m always looking to learn more on these things.*

 Calcium Bone Maker Complex contains MCH-Cal (explained in-depth below).

Image source: Keepcalm-o-matic

What is MCH-Cal?

Personally, I think the calcium supplement with MCH-Cal is inferios over others because, from what I have read, MCH-Cal is a totally natural, bone –derived ingredient. 

 

 It also “delivers all the elements present in healthy bone tissue, in their correct physiological ratios.”

 “Minimum 24% Calcium and 10% Phosphorous in a microcrystalline structure - ensuring maximum absorption and bioavailability."

Minimum 22% bone protein, including Type I Collagen and bioactive growth factors to enhance absorption and promote bone formation.

Contains a broad range of trace minerals as well as glycosaminoglycans found naturally in the bone matrix and essential for healthy bone composition.

 Independent testing verifies very low levels of lead, making Waitaki's MCH-Cal™ compliant with Californian Proposition 65 requirements.

"MCH-Cal™ is manufactured from 100% New Zealand sourced bone from prime, export grade, free range, pasture fed beef."

MCH-Cal™ is manufactured using proprietary low temperature processes to ensure maximum retention of the bioactive components.”

The other ingredients in the Calcium Bone Maker Complex supplement

 

There is:

 99 milligrams of Potassium per serving, 250 mg of Vitamin C, 600 mg of Calcium, 1800 IU of Vitamin D, 80 mcg of Vitamin K, 300 mg of Magnesium, 12 mg of Zinc, 1200 mcg of Copper, 2 mg of Manganese, 2727 mg of Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite (MCH-Cal) and 4 mg of Boron.

 

*Note: Serving size is 6 capsules of Doctor's Best Calcium Bone Maker Complex. That is kind of a lot, but I’m learning to deal with it. 

The bottle I have, which as I've said I got from Solly's Health Shop, comes with 180 capsules. Solly's carries most, if not all, Doctor's Best Brand products, including a Strontium Bone Maker that can be taken in combination with the Calcium Complex. 

 

Recommending dosage information:

 

For someone my age (23), the “recommended” dose of calcium per day –according to niams.nih.gov – is 1,000 milligrams.

So, perhaps the dose of 6 capsules a day (as recommended on the Calcium Bone Maker Complex  label) could be increased.

On the other hand, I use trace minerals in my water, so I should be sufficient in minerals. Calcium is one of the minerals in the trace mineral drops I use, so I’m at least close to the amount I probably need.

  P.S. At the time of writing, Solly's Health Shop (the shop where I got the Doctor's Best supplements, among others,) does free shipping on orders over $20. This is fabulous to me because normally you only qualify for free shipping (when shopping online) if you spend $100. 

 Image source: Penpundit.com

 

 

 

 

 

Now I tend to easily spend a whole lotta' money on  supplements, but $20 is about right what I pay per time when I do my supplement shopping, so Solly's gets extra "brownie points" for this awesomeness.

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