Disintegration test for pills a good match for stomach conditions

QUESTION: I was diagnosed with osteoporosis several years ago. I take once-monthly Boniva, drink milk and take a calcium supplement.

However, my doctor said that recent tests show I'm still rapidly losing bone. He said to take a vitamin D-3 supplement to help calcium absorption.

I read that a pill dropped into a small amount of vinegar should dissolve within 30 minutes. When I tried it with my calcium supplement, only about half the pill dissolved after a full hour.

Does this mean my calcium pills are not being properly absorbed into my body?

ANSWER: Probably not. All calcium products analyzed by ConsumerLab.com, an independent testing company, were found to disintegrate (break apart) properly so they could dissolve and be absorbed.

You're right not to be too trusting, though. ConsumerLab.com has found disintegration problems with other dietary supplement
products.

The company provides the following unofficial disintegration test for do-it-yourselfers. It's not foolproof, but it matches conditions in the stomach much better than the test you used.

Heat 1/2 cup of vinegar (acetic acid) in a heat-safe cup on the hot-plate portion of a coffee machine to 98.6 degrees F (body temperature). For a quick check of the temperature, use an instant-read thermometer, and don't allow it to rest on the bottom
of the cup where heat is most intense, giving a false reading.

Place a pill in the cup, then stir continuously for 30 to 45 minutes, without hitting the pill and keeping the temperature near 98.6 degrees F. If necessary, move the cup on and off the heat to maintain a constant temperature.

Uncoated or thinly coated products should disintegrate in about 30 minutes; gelatin-coated and hard-coated products may require the full time.

Note: This test may not work with "time-release" or "sustained-release" products. And be aware that "chewable" products are meant to be broken down by chewing and "enteric-coated" products should not fully break apart in this test because they are
designed to release their ingredients farther down the digestive tract.

As your doctor said, adequate vitamin D is required for proper calcium absorption.

The vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) he recommended is the most active form.

Some vitamin D-fortified food products and multivitamins provide vitamin D-2 (ergocalciferol).

Most people may need higher amounts than previously thought - at least 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D-3 daily.

People who are deficient in vitamin D will need much larger doses for several weeks to replenish their vitamin D body stores.

In light of recent research, some experts say we should consider raising the recommended daily amounts for vitamin D and lowering those for calcium.

When vitamin D levels are optimal, the body needs less calcium.

Unless there are other issues involved, Boniva combined with adequate vitamin D and calcium should stop bone loss and boost bone density.

Besides once-monthly Boniva, other prescription bone builders include once-weekly Actonel and Fosamax. Users of these products will be interested in the latest news: Pills that need to be taken only once a year are now wending their way through the FDA
pipeline.

Richard Harkness is a consultant pharmacist, a natural medicines specialist and the author of eight books. Write him at 1224 King Henry Drive, Ocean Springs, MS 39564.

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