Chronic stress, immune imbalance, and thyroid dysfunction are deeply interconnected. This forms a stress–immune–thyroid triad where each system influences the others, affecting energy, mood, and resilience. Research shows that targeted support—including adaptogens, micronutrients can help restore communication across this network. Rather than offering quick fixes, this systems-based approach addresses underlying feedback loops, combining clinical insight, patient engagement, and supportive lifestyle practices to rebuild physiological balance and improve well-being over time.
Laura Lewis, MS
Try Di-Calcium Malate
Not all calcium supplements are equal. In fact, calcium supplementation has taken some heat, in part for the low absorbability of many supplements. Read on to learn about your options when it comes to the most bioavailable calcium for reaching and maintaining healthy calcium levels.*
Are calcium supplements safe?
First, we recommend a conversation with your healthcare practitioner every time you are thinking of taking a new supplement.
Calcium supplements are not “dangerous” in a toxic chemical way, but just like any elemental mineral, you can have too much calcium. [1]
Taking excessive amounts of calcium supplements can cause too high calcium in the circulation (hypercalcemia). However, this may be due to other factors that should be evaluated. If you consult a healthcare practitioner and take supplements as recommended, there are few risks.
Do calcium supplements work?
Calcium is best absorbed with food, a little at a time throughout the day. If you can get the calcium you need through dairy products, canned fish, and other fortified foods, that’s great.
For many of us, however, it is hard or impossible to get the calcium we need from the food we eat daily. It’s much easier to focus on supporting bone health earlier in life than it may be later in life.
Calcium intake is known to contribute to bone density,. [2] Calcium supplements can support the health and longevity of your bones.*
One potential setback on the road to healthy calcium levels is the inverse relationship between calcium intake and absorption. The more calcium you ingest at a time, the less you absorb. Absorption of calcium from food is about 45% at intakes of 200 mg/day but only 15% when intakes are higher than 2,000 mg/day. [3] Age can also affect absorption of dietary calcium. [3]
This is why the form of your calcium supplement matters so much. The most common forms of calcium supplement are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate is highly insoluble and so must be taken with a meal for absorption. People with low levels of stomach acid may still have trouble absorbing it. Calcium citrate is better absorbed than the carbonate form but may need to be avoided by those avoiding citrate. So which form is the most bioavailable calcium?
Why take di-calcium malate?
Di-calcium malate may be the answer to absorption problems. With two (“di”) calcium atoms bound to each molecule of malic acid, this form of calcium is more concentrated than other supplements. This means each capsule can actually contain more elemental calcium.
Yes, we explained that more is not always better when it comes to calcium absorption. However, in clinical trials, di-calcium malate has been demonstrated to be bioavailable calcium with a longer half-life than other forms of calcium supplement. [4]
The benefits of exchanging calcium citrate for di-calcium malate extend beyond bioavailability. Namely, our choice of a more concentrated form of calcium makes room in each capsule for other nutrients in a blended supplement.
Disclaimer:
The information provided is for educational purposes only. Consult your physician or healthcare practitioner if you have specific questions before instituting any changes in your daily lifestyle including changes in diet, exercise, and supplement use.
Laura Lewis is a clinical researcher and science communicator with a Master of Science degree and a background in nutrition science and integrative health. She brings a decade of experience translating complex clinical data into accessible insights for healthcare practitioners and patients alike.
Laura has contributed to educational programming and strategic content development across the integrative and functional medicine space. Her strengths lie in evidence synthesis, practitioner engagement, and crafting communications that bridge the gap between scientific rigor and real-world application. At ARG, Laura supports clinical content development and educational initiatives that elevate practitioner confidence and product credibility.