Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound of inorganic nature, which includes natural calcium and a salt of carbonic acid. This compound is widely found in nature in the composition of limestone, chalk, hard marble, as well as in the natural minerals of calcite, aragonite and others.
Calcium carbonate is used in various industries - it is indispensable in the manufacture of glass, it is widely used in the food industry (it is better known under the brand E170) as a white food color, it is one of the components in the manufacture of paints, plastics, and personal care products. The main consumers of calcium carbonate are manufacturers of all kinds of plastics and plastics, because even the usual plastic panels, linoleum, carpets and tiles are derivatives of calcium carbonate. But the most familiar form in which we are familiar with this substance are, of course, tablets known to everyone since childhood.
Calcium carbonate: use in medicine.
The use of this inorganic compound in medicine is primarily due to the pure calcium content in it. Therefore, this drug is used to replenish calcium in the body, as well as as part of complex therapy in the treatment of joint diseases. Calcium carbonate perfectly helps strengthen bones and teeth, and is also recommended for improving the quality of nails and hair. In addition, the drug has the unique property of neutralizing the effect of hydrochloric acid and normalizing the increased acidity of the stomach.
The main indications for the use of this drug are:
- Hyperacidity of gastric juice, as well as all kinds of diseases of the gastrointestinal tract that arise on its background. These are gastritis, including in the phase of exacerbation, duodenitis, ulcerative exacerbations, as well as heartburn.
- Calcium deficiency or an increased need for it in certain periods of life: rickets and early caries in children, osteoporosis, including those that occur after menopause, as well as pregnancy, lactation, hypocalcemia resulting from poor absorption of calcium or due to its increased excretion out of the body.
Calcium carbonate: instructions for use.
When dosing the drug, the age of the patient, as well as the specifics of the disease, are taken into account. For children under the age of 10, in the treatment of rickets or caries, the dose varies, depending on weight, from 300 to 600 mg per day.
In case of gastrointestinal disease, the drug is prescribed for oral administration, the dose is from 0.5 to 1 g. per day.
To compensate for calcium deficiency, prevention of osteoporosis, as well as as part of a comprehensive treatment of the condition of hair and nails, the dose of the drug is selected individually, taking into account the drug interaction, weight, height, and gastrointestinal tract. It can range from 250 ml to 1.5 g. per day.
Contraindications
Despite the wide spectrum of action, natural origin and versatility, this drug also has some limitations in use.
- The presence of kidney stones, especially calcium origin.
- The tendency of the circulatory system to form blood clots.
- Severe atherosclerosis.
- Individual intolerance to the drug.
- Hypercalcemia.
Also, when taking calcium carbonate, some features of its interaction with other drugs should be taken into account. So, it has the ability, while taking with antibiotics belonging to the tetracycline group, to reduce their effectiveness and reduce the concentration of tetracycline in the blood. Also, the drug is able to reduce the absorption of indomethacin, levothyroxine and some other drugs.