by Health Dr. 1 on Wed May 23, 2007 6:13 pm
Calcium absorption takes place primarily in the small intestine, regardless of the source or type of the calcium. This is the area in which most nutrient absorption takes place. In terms of knowing which is better for you in your individual situation, it may be best to follow up with bone density scans at regular intervals with your doctor to see if your regimen is working. Both calcium orotate and aspartate are very good forms. Below is another post that offers some information on this subject:
Both of these forms of calcium are excellent and surpass almost all other forms of calcium on the market. Nieper was actually involved in the development of both the aspartate and the orotate carriers in the late 1950’s. Clinically, he actually used calcium orotate and sometimes Calcium 2-AEP for the treatment of osteoporosis and cartilage diseases. Obviously, he was very aware of the aspartate form and chose the orotate carrier instead. One reason for this is that orotate carriers have no affinity for the outer cell membrane and are instead delivered in to inside of a cell before they ionize and become available. Dr Neiper felt that “calcium orotate really performs clinical effects in various diseases connected with decalcification and injury of bones which can rapidly be improved by means of the application of calcium orotate by using this new concept of active mineral transport since we know, especially in studies run in Zurich, that all formation of bone, more or less, is controlled by cell membrane and that the microgranules of apatit have to be formed inside the osteoblast and then released through the cell membrane again.” Calcium aspartate is instead targeted more specifically to the inner layer of the outer membrane. As far as the percentages, Calcium aspartate yields approximately 13% elemental calcium and Calcium orotate yields between 10-11%; the 1.5 grams will yield about 150-165 mgs of calcium. Given the 90-95% absorption rate with this form, compared to 5-10% of calcium carbonate for instance, the low elemental percentage is more than compensated for in the higher absorption percentage, which is about 5-10% for Calcium Carbonate.