The American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery (ASMBS) recommends that gastric bypass patients take 1500 to 2000 mg calcium citrate daily in addition to whatever calcium they may get from their diets. The ASMBS recommends calcium citrate specifically, due to decreased amounts of stomach acid in gastric bypass patients. Some patients prefer to use liquid calcium supplements rather than swallow a number of large pills.
Wellesse
Wellesse is a liquid calcium supplement frequently marketed to gastric bypass patients. Two tablespoons contain 1000 mg calcium and 1000 IU vitamin D3. The problems is that while some of the calcium in Wellesse comes from calcium citrate, the type recommended for gastric bypass patients by the American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery, some of the calcium comes from calcium phosphate, which is not absorbed well by gastric bypass patients. Gastric bypass patients would do better to use a calcium supplement containing only calcium citrate or another form of calcium that is absorbed better than calcium phosphate.
Tropical Oasis
Tropical Oasis liquid calcium magnesium supplement contains 252 mg elemental calcium (as citrate) per tablespoon, along with 400 IU vitamin D3 and 720 mg magnesium. The label can be a bit tricky as it shows that each serving has 1200 mg calcium, but if you read the fine print you’ll see that a serving only contains 252 mg elemental calcium. That means gastric bypass patients need six to eight tablespoons daily, and since a bottle only contains 32 servings, patients would need to purchase a new bottle (at a cost of $21.95 if ordered directly from the manufacturer) every five days or so.
Upcal D
Upcal D is not exactly a liquid calcium supplement, it’s a powder. I decided to include it here, though, because you are supposed to mix the powder with a liquid. I like Upcal D because you can mix it with any liquid you like and it has no taste at all. It’s an easy way to get your calcium, especially right after surgery. Each dose contains 500 mg calcium citrate along with 500 IU vitamin D3. As of February 2012, a box containing 120 individual servings of Upcal D can be purchased from Colonial Medical for $11.39, or approximately nine cents per serving.
Bariatric Advantage Crystals
Bariatric Advantage calcium crystals are very similar to Upcal D. Each serving contains 600 mg calcium lactate-gluconate along with 500 IU vitamin D3. While gastric bypass patients are frequently advised to use calcium citrate, calcium lactate and calcium gluconate are also absorbed well in a low-acid environment. The main difference between Bariatric Advantage calcium crystals and Upcal D is cost. A box containing 25 individual servings can be ordered from Bariatric Advantage for $16.25, or approximately 65 cents per serving.
Sources:
Bariatric Nutrition. http://nutrition.otago.ac.nz/__data/assets/file/0005/4784/BariatricNutritionReading.pdf. Suggestions for the Surgical Weight Loss Patient.
Arizona Cooperative Extension. http://ag.arizona.edu/pubs/health/az1042.pdf. Calcium Supplement Guidelines.
Wellesse. http://www.wellesse.com/calcium_vitamind3_liquid.asp. Liquid Calcium and Vitamin D3.
Tropical Oasis. http://www.tropicaloasis.com/Tropical-Oasis-Liquid-Calcium-Magnesium-p/calmag16.htm. Tropical Oasis Calcium Magnesium.
Colonial Medical. http://www.colonialmedical.com/catalog/Upcal-D-120-packets-p-19796.html. Upcal D.
Bariatric Advantage. https://www1.bariatricadvantage.com/catalog/list/2/Calcium. Calcium.