Calcium carbonate: Uses, Interactions, Mechanism of Action

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Calcium carbonate is an ionic compound used as a calcium supplement or antacid used for the symptomatic relief of heartburn, acid indigestion, and sour stomach.

Calcium carbonate is an inorganic salt commonly used as an antacid. It works as a basic compound by neutralizing hydrochloric acid in the stomach, which can raise gastric pH and potentially reduce pepsin activity. Additionally, the resulting increase in bicarbonate ions and prostaglandins may provide protective effects for the stomach lining. Beyond its antacid use, calcium carbonate can also serve as a dietary supplement or to treat low calcium levels (hypocalcemia).

Gastric-peptic disease develops when there is an imbalance between protective factors—such as mucus, bicarbonate, and prostaglandin secretion—and aggressive factors like hydrochloric acid, pepsin, and Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Antacids help restore this balance by neutralizing stomach acid, reducing pepsin activity, and boosting bicarbonate and prostaglandin production. Calcium carbonate, in particular, has an acid-neutralizing capacity of 58 mEq per 15 ml. When taken as a dietary supplement, it helps increase the body’s calcium reserves directly.

Calcium carbonate is a basic inorganic salt that works by neutralizing hydrochloric acid in the stomach. It can also reduce pepsin activity by raising the gastric pH and through adsorption. Protective effects on the stomach lining may result from increased levels of bicarbonate ions (HCO₃⁻) and prostaglandins. The neutralization of hydrochloric acid produces calcium chloride, carbon dioxide, and water, with roughly 90% of the calcium chloride being converted into insoluble calcium salts such as calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate.

After absorption, calcium is quickly taken up by skeletal tissues and distributed throughout extracellular fluids. About 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in the bones, while the remaining 1% is roughly equally divided between intracellular and extracellular fluids.