title: Absorbability and utility of calcium in mineral waters.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Calcium intake in North America remains substantially below recommended amounts. Bottled waters high in calcium could help close that gap.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The objectives were to summarize and integrate published absorbability and biodynamic data concerning high-calcium mineral waters and to combine these data with hitherto unpublished analyses from my laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  The usual library database was searched. The absorbability of calcium from a high-mineral water labeled with tracer quantities of (45)Ca was measured in human volunteers as a part of an otherwise low-calcium test meal. Published reports that used differing load sizes and meal conditions were harmonized by making corrections based on published calcium absorbability data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the high-calcium mineral waters had absorbabilities equal to milk calcium or slightly better. When tested, all produced biodynamic responses indicative of absorption of appreciable quantities of calcium (ie, increased urinary calcium, decreased serum parathyroid hormone, decreased bone resorption biomarkers, and protection of bone mass).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High-calcium mineral waters could provide useful quantities of bioavailable calcium.
authors.affiliation: Creighton University, Omaha, NE, USA. rheany@creighton.edu
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Heaney
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005215:Fasting / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic; D008900:Mineral Waters / Q000032:analysis; D009753:Nutritive Value
chemical_list: D050071:Bone Density Conservation Agents; D002132:Calcium Radioisotopes; D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D008900:Mineral Waters