Calcium Co Factors
One of the exciting things to have come out of the huge body of research on vitamin supplements is the understanding of all the co factors that are important for vitamins and minerals to be absorbed by our bodies. This understanding has meant that supplements are now made in a way that makes them a whole lot more effective than they were in the ‘early’ days. For example, calcium is absorbed better with magnesium and vitamin D. And we now know that certain elements of foods, like the oxalates and phytates in grain, inhibit calcium absorption.
This research has busted some myths too. It used to be believed that coffee and other caffeine beverages really inhibited calcium absorption, but now we know that the effect is negligible. Sure, it’s still not going to help, but it won’t hurt much either, especially if you have a tablespoon of milk afterwards, to offset the small effect it has.