Calcium gluconate and bone health after stomach removal
What it found
In people who had their stomach removed, calcium gluconate supplements increased bone mineral density.
In mice with low stomach acid, calcium gluconate worked better than calcium carbonate.
What they found
Studies in people
Bone changes after gastrectomy
Biopsies from gastrectomized individuals showed significantly increased osteoid, osteoclast, and osteoblast indices and fibroosteoclasia compared to healthy controls. They also had impaired calcium distribution in mineralized bone matrix.
Bone density with calcium gluconate
Five gastrectomized patients with sufficient vitamin D had a significant increase in bone mineral density after treatment with calcium gluconate alone for at least 6 months.
Animal and lab studies
Calcium type in mice
In a mouse model of achlorhydria, calcium gluconate was superior to calcium carbonate in maintaining calcium metabolism.
What the authors conclude
“We show that calcium gluconate supplementation can increase bone mineral density in gastrectomized individuals and performs superior to calcium carbonate in restoring calcium/skeletal homoeostasis in a mouse model of achlorhydria.”
Also in their conclusions
- They conclude that gastrectomy is associated with severe osteomalacia, marrow fibrosis, and impaired calcium distribution within the mineralized matrix.
- They state that calcium gluconate supplementation can increase bone mineral density in gastrectomized individuals.
- They report that calcium gluconate performs superior to calcium carbonate in restoring calcium and skeletal homoeostasis in a mouse model of achlorhydria.
How it was done
Gastrectomy and long-term proton pump inhibitor therapy reduce stomach acid, which can lead to poor calcium absorption and a higher risk of fractures. The authors wanted to look at bone metabolism in gastrectomized patients and test how calcium gluconate supplementation affects bone health when stomach acid is low.
They analyzed undecalcified bone biopsies from 26 people who had gastrectomy. They also retrospectively identified 5 gastrectomized patients with sufficient vitamin D who took calcium gluconate and had bone mineral density follow-up for at least 6 months. They used a mouse model of achlorhydria to compare calcium gluconate and calcium carbonate.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The patient part was a small retrospective study of 5 people, so it cannot prove that calcium gluconate caused the bone density increase.
- The mouse results may not apply to people.
- The study did not compare calcium gluconate to a placebo in people.
Who paid
- Authors work at
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany
The paper
- Title
- Calcium gluconate supplementation is effective to balance calcium homeostasis in patients with gastrectomy
- Type
- Study
- Evidence
- Studies in people · animals · lab
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Krause M, Keller J, Beil B, et al (2015). Calcium gluconate supplementation is effective to balance calcium homeostasis in patients with gastrectomy. Osteoporosis international. doi:10.1007/s00198-014-2965-1PubMed 25391248DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error