Home Ingredients CytoCal® (Calcium)
Bone Health

CytoCal® (Calcium)

Evidence Level
Moderate
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
3/5 Evidence Score

CytoCal® is a brand of calcium used in bone-support formulas. No published study of CytoCal itself is cited here; the research below is on calcium as a mineral, and it was given together with vitamin D. Calcium is essential for building and maintaining strong bones and for normal muscle and nerve function.

Studied Dose Commonly 500 to 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day, counting food and supplements together. Adults should not go above a total of 2,000 to 2,500 mg per day depending on age. In the trials that showed a bone benefit, calcium was given together with vitamin D.
Active Compound Calcium (often with vitamin D and trace minerals for bone support).

Benefits

Bone strength

Calcium is the main structural mineral of bone. In a 2020 review that pooled randomized trials in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, calcium taken together with vitamin D increased total bone mineral density and lowered hip fracture rates (relative risk 0.864, roughly 14 percent fewer hip fractures). Because the two nutrients were given together, calcium alone cannot take the credit, and the people studied already had a diagnosed bone disease rather than being general consumers.

Supported by Trial 1

Bone maintenance with age

Getting enough calcium each day, from food first, is needed throughout life to maintain the skeleton. Taking more than you need does not add extra benefit, and going over the daily upper limit of 2,000 to 2,500 mg raises the risk of kidney stones.

Supported by Trial 1

Muscle and nerve support

Calcium also plays a role in normal muscle contraction and nerve signaling. That is what the mineral does in the body; it is not an extra effect you get from a supplement if your diet already supplies enough.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Bone mineralization

Calcium combines with phosphate to form the hydroxyapatite crystals that give bone its hardness and strength.

2

Calcium homeostasis

The body tightly regulates blood calcium; adequate intake spares calcium from being drawn out of bone.

Clinical trials

1
Calcium Plus Vitamin D for Bone: Meta-Analysis (not a CytoCal study)
PubMed

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis. No CytoCal product was tested. (Liu et al. 2020, Food and Function)

Postmenopausal women with diagnosed osteoporosis, pooled across randomized controlled trials.

Calcium combined with vitamin D significantly increased total bone mineral density and reduced hip fracture incidence (relative risk 0.864) compared with control. Two limits matter: the benefit belongs to the calcium plus vitamin D combination rather than calcium on its own, and it was measured in women who already had osteoporosis.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Constipation, gas, or bloating can occur.
Take in divided doses (500 mg or less at a time) for best absorption.
Going above the daily upper limit for total calcium (2,000 to 2,500 mg for adults depending on age) adds no extra benefit and raises the risk of kidney stones. Whether calcium supplements, as opposed to calcium from food, slightly affect heart risk is still debated among researchers and has not been settled either way.

Important Drug interactions

Calcium blocks absorption of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics, levothyroxine and other thyroid medication, bisphosphonates, and also iron and zinc supplements. Take calcium 2 to 4 hours apart from these.
Thiazide diuretics can raise blood calcium, so your doctor may want to check your levels.
Tell your doctor about all medications and your total calcium intake.

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Frequently asked questions about CytoCal® (Calcium)

What is CytoCal?

CytoCal® is a brand of calcium used in bone-support formulas. No published study of CytoCal itself is cited here; the research below is on calcium as a mineral, and it was given together with vitamin D. Calcium is essential for building and maintaining strong bones and for normal muscle and nerve function.

What is CytoCal used for?

CytoCal is researched primarily for Bone Health. Calcium is the main structural mineral of bone. In a 2020 review that pooled randomized trials in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis, calcium taken together with vitamin D increased total bone mineral density and lowered hip fracture ra…

What is the recommended dosage of CytoCal?

The clinically studied dose is Commonly 500 to 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day, counting food and supplements together. Adults should not go above a total of 2,000 to 2,500 mg per day depending on age. In the trials that showed a bone benefit, calcium was given together with vitamin D. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is CytoCal safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, CytoCal is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Constipation, gas, or bloating can occur. Take in divided doses (500 mg or less at a time) for best absorption. It may also interact with some medications. CytoCal is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does CytoCal interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Calcium blocks absorption of tetracycline and quinolone antibiotics, levothyroxine and other thyroid medication, bisphosphonates, and also iron and zinc supplements. Take calcium 2 to 4 hours apart from these. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for CytoCal?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for CytoCal as Moderate (3 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 1 cited reference summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(1 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Liu C, Kuang X, Li K, et al. Effects of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation on osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Funct. 2020;11(12):10817-10827..PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis of calcium given together with vitamin D in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis; it found higher bone mineral density and fewer hip fractures. It studied the mineral, not the CytoCal brand, and cannot separate calcium's effect from vitamin D's.