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From: hsf@hlexa.UUCP (Henry Friedman)
Newsgroups: net.med
Subject: Re: TUMS as calcium supplement???
Message-ID: <4735@hlexa.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 14-Mar-86 10:56:36 EST
Article-I.D.: hlexa.4735
Posted: Fri Mar 14 10:56:36 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 16-Mar-86 09:47:45 EST
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> .... 
> Question:  if you take Tums on a regular basis, aren't you likely to
> suffer from alkalosis?
> .....

The package advises that each TUM is equivalent to 20% RDA for
calcium, and that 5 could be taken for 100%.  The regular usage
warning is that no more than 16 should be taken in 24 hours and that
that max dosage shouldn't be continued for more than a week (for
gastro upset).

I doubt that the 5 TUMS would present a danger of alkalosis, any more
than would those calcium carbonate tablets that are sold strictly
as cacium supplements (and which are much more expensive than the
TUMS).  The TUMS have the added advantage of tasting good enough to
suck; so one gets both the calcium and a nice coating action for the
gastro side.  

(But I guess there are some conditions predisposing toward alkalosis,
such a vomiting or other loss of CL that could be aggravated. The
MD types will no doubt answer that one for us.)
--Henry Friedman