• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of, and finding treatments for, complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia, long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Anyone ever taken Sandocal? (concerns over inert ingredients in calcium supplement) osteopenia

parabola

parabola

Messages
93
Location
UK
Hi All

I wasn't sure where this fit really so posting here.

I was prescribed calcium since I have Crohn's, coeliac and osteopenia. I tried Adcal and Calcichew, but don't seem to be able to digest calcium carbonate well; it just sits in my belly like a brick. I know that I can tolerate calcium citrate, and have bought this in the past, but the issue here is financial so I need something on prescription.

I spoke to my GP yesterday, and she searched and found 'Sandocal' (which she prescribed). This is an effervescent tablet that dissolves into citrate and free calcium ions, "problem solved", or so I thought. However I get home, and have a look at the ingredients list:
Calcium carbonate
Calcium lactate gluconate
Citric acid anhydrous (fine granulate)
Orange flavour powder (contains: orange essential oils, maltodextrin, arabic gum, sorbitol (E 420), dextrose)
Aspartame (E951)
Macrogol 6000
Sodium hydrogen carbonate

The ones in bold are worrying me. I know Macrogol is used at a lower molecular mass as an osmotic laxative. Aspartame I know is 'bad' but I don't know enough about why, or at what dosage, or whether it would be reasonable to make allowances for a small dose when weighed up against osteoporosis.

I take vitamin D and occasionally magnesium when I feel I need it. I've tried vitamin K but generally feel worse on it.

What are your experiences, thoughts?
 
Little Bluestem

Little Bluestem

All Good Things Must Come to an End
Messages
4,930
Aspartame is stimulating and is bad for people with sensory overload. (It also tastes bad.)
 
parabola

parabola

Messages
93
Location
UK
Little Bluestem said:
Aspartame is stimulating and is bad for people with sensory overload. (It also tastes bad.)
Click to expand...
Thank you for your reply! Do you know how much would cause effects? Like A minimum harmful dose? I read a bit more yesterday about it degrading to methanol, but then apparently there are natural foods which contain more. Is it the aspartame itself which is stimulatory or the components it breaks down to?

The tablet weighs 8g and half of that is made up of the raw calcium, so that leaves 4g of 'other', and I intend to cut them into halves or quarters and take at intervals. Considering citric acid is next on the ingredients list after calcium I'm hoping that makes up the bulk of the other 4g.

I took one quarter yesterday then didn't have a great day, but there have been many coincidences like this in the past so I guess I need to wait for a better day then try again.. Luckily Ive still got some supplements left that i bought myself. Who'd have thought calcium could be so comp plicated :rolleyes:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.