Calcium glucoheptonate compared with calcium carbonate for calcium uptake
What it found
In 24 healthy Indonesian adults, calcium from calcium glucoheptonate was absorbed at about 92% of the amount from calcium carbonate within 6 hours, and about 89% within 12 hours.
Five people had mild, short-lived side effects and no serious ones.
What they found
Studies in people
Calcium absorption compared
Calcium from calcium glucoheptonate was absorbed at 92% of the amount from calcium carbonate within 6 hours, and 89% within 12 hours.
Side effects
Five people had eight side effects in total, all mild and short-lived. No serious side effects or deaths were reported.
Other findings
Calcium content
Calcium glucoheptonate is a highly soluble calcium salt containing 8.2% elemental calcium.
What the authors conclude
“These results indicate that calcium glucoheptonate is associated with a high relative bioavailability of calcium compared to calcium carbonate, and is well-tolerated.”
Also in their conclusions
- They say calcium glucoheptonate is associated with a high relative bioavailability of calcium compared to calcium carbonate, and is well-tolerated.
- They suggest calcium glucoheptonate might be a potential choice for calcium supplementation in Southeast Asian populations.
How it was done
Calcium intake is important for preventing bone loss and osteoporosis, and in places like Southeast Asia where intake is very low, supplements are a suitable dietary source of calcium.
They gave 24 healthy Indonesian adults a single dose of either calcium glucoheptonate or calcium carbonate, then switched them to the other after 7 days. Doses were 500 mg of elemental calcium in each case, taken after an overnight fast.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- This was a single-dose study in 24 healthy adults, so it cannot show what happens with long-term use.
- It also cannot show whether the difference in absorption matters for bone health.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- This work was funded by Sanofi. Etienne Pouteau, Surajit Dutta, and Phuc HB Nguyen are current employees of Sanofi. The other authors declare no competing interests.
- Authors work at
- University of Indonesia, Indonesia; University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Vietnam
The paper
- Title
- Relative bioavailability and pharmacokinetic comparison of calcium glucoheptonate with calcium carbonate
- Type
- Randomised controlled trial
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- Wiria M, Tran HM, Nguyen PHB, Valencia O, Dutta S, Pouteau E (2020). Relative bioavailability and pharmacokinetic comparison of calcium glucoheptonate with calcium carbonate. Pharmacology research & perspectives. doi:10.1002/prp2.589Free full textPubMed 32302064DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error