Do Calcium Supplements Interfere with Medications? Menu Verywell Fit Nutrition Weight Management Nutrition Facts Nutrition Basics Diets Meal Plans Meal Delivery Services View All News Fitness and Nutrition What to Buy How We Test Products Fitness Gear Nutrition Products Tools Recipe Nutrition Calculator Weight Loss Calorie Goal BMI Calculator Body Fat Percentage Calculator Calories Burned by Activity Daily Calories Burned Pace Calculator About Us Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Search Supplements Do Calcium Supplements Interfere with Medications? By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. She has co-authored two books for the popular Dummies Series (as Shereen Jegtvig). Learn about our editorial process Updated on October 10, 2020 Fact checked Verywell Fit content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. We rely on the most current and reputable sources, which are cited in the text and listed at the bottom of each article. Content is fact checked after it has been edited and before publication. Learn more. by Emily Swaim Fact checked by Emily Swaim Emily is a fact checker, editor, and writer who has expertise in psychology, health and lifestyle content. Learn about our editorial process Print Paul Bodea Calcium supplements can interact with several medications in different ways, often increasing or decreasing the amount of the drug that's absorbed. And sometimes it works the other way around — the drug changes how much calcium you absorb. Supplements are usually safe to take, but you need to consider what else you're taking and what's going with your body. It's important to talk to your healthcare provider about taking calcium or any supplements if you're on any medications, even over-the-counter medications. Calcium and Antibiotics Calcium supplements can decrease the absorption of fluoroquinolone and tetracycline. Taking the medications and supplements at least two hours apart should help, but again, speak with your healthcare provider. Calcium supplements should probably be avoided altogether if you're taking gentamicin, another type of antibiotic. Calcium and Osteoporotic Medications Bisphosphonates are medications used to treat osteoporosis. Taking them at the same time as calcium supplements may decrease absorption of the medication, so they should be taken at least two hours apart from the calcium. On the other hand, estrogens increase calcium absorption, which can improve bone density. Calcium Diuretics and Other Blood Pressure Medications Diuretics are used to remove fluid from your body and reduce blood pressure. Some types of diuretics may affect your blood levels of calcium. Potassium-sparing and thiazide diuretics can increase the amount of calcium in your blood, and loop diuretics cause calcium levels to go down. Calcium supplements and beta-blockers may interfere with each other. And, not surprisingly, calcium may interfere with calcium channel blockers. Don't take any calcium supplements with these blood pressure medications unless your healthcare provider tells you to take them. Calcium Antacids and Laxatives Both aluminum- and magnesium-containing antacids increase the amount of calcium that's excreted in your urine, which means you might lose calcium. And one form of calcium supplements called calcium citrate may increase the amount of aluminum that's absorbed from those antacids. Some over-the-counter antacids are made of calcium carbonate, which absorbs the acid in your stomach. It's important to follow label instructions to prevent absorbing too much calcium from these antacids. Laxatives that contain magnesium may decrease the amount of calcium absorbed from calcium supplements. Calcium and Anti-Seizure Medications Anti-seizure medications, such as phenytoin, carbamazepine, phenobarbital, and primidone, may lower your calcium levels. They need to be taken at least two hours apart from calcium supplements. In addition, your healthcare provider may suggest taking vitamin D supplements along with your anti-seizure medications to try to keep calcium levels close to normal levels. Cholesterol Medications One type of cholesterol-reducing medication, called bile acid sequestrants, may increase calcium loss in the urine, so your healthcare provider may recommend taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. Really, this is so important that it bears repeating: You need to talk to your healthcare provider about any dietary supplements you are taking, especially if you have any health conditions or are taking any medications, including prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs. 2 Sources Verywell Fit uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. National Institutes of Health; Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. University of Michigan Medicine. Magnesium oxide. Additional Reading St. Luke's Hospital. Possible interactions with: Calcium. By Shereen Lehman, MS Shereen Lehman, MS, is a healthcare journalist and fact checker. See Our Editorial Process Meet Our Review Board Share Feedback Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! What is your feedback? Other Helpful Report an Error Submit Related Articles The 9 Best Supplements for Women, According to a Dietitian The 5 Best Greens Powders of 2022, According to a Dietitian When Is the Best Time to Take Vitamins? The Best Magnesium Supplements, According to a Dietitian The 9 Best Vitamins for Women of 2022 The Best Vitamin D Supplements of 2022, According to a Dietitian Is Spironolactone an Effective Method for Weight Loss? The 7 Best Multivitamins of 2022, According to a Dietitian Resveratrol: Benefits, Side Effects, Dosage, and Interactions The Best Multivitamins for Women of 2022 What is Water Weight and Do I Need to Get Rid of It? Calcium Requirements and Dietary Sources The Best Multivitamins for Women Over 50 That a Dietitian Recommends Grapefruit Nutrition Facts and Health Benefits The 9 Best Vitamin Brands of 2022, According to a Dietitian The 6 Best Gluten-Free Vitamin Brands, Chosen by a Dietician When you visit the site, Dotdash Meredith and its partners may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. You can find out more about our use, change your default settings, and withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by visiting Cookies Settings, which can also be found in the footer of the site. Cookies Settings Reject All Accept All