Calcium absorption in man: some dosing recommendations.

The absorption of calcium involves a saturable (active) and a nonsaturable (passive) component. The work of several investigators indicates that an inverse relationship exists between calcium intake and absorption efficiency. Human calcium absorption data from the literature were analyzed using a model which included both an active and a passive absorption component. Simulations were provided to illustrate the suitability of this model, and another previously reported model, to fit the data and to estimate the absorption efficiency of calcium when using different dosing regimens. Comparisons of the values predicted in this study with some literature values are provided and some assumptions and potential limitations associated with the use of this method are discussed. The division of the daily dose into equal increments taken at equally spaced intervals over the course of the day is recommended as a useful procedure for increasing the absorption efficiency and efficacy of calcium.