Quality of Calcium Food Supplements: Evaluation Compared to Manufacturers’ Declarations

Abstract

Calcium (Ca) is a macronutrient necessary for the proper functioning of an organism. In the case of insufficient consumption with diet, its deficiencies can be supplemented with food supplements (FS). These supplements are used, for example, as an auxiliary in the prevention of osteoporosis, allergies, hair loss or nail brittleness. The purpose of the study was to assess the compliance of Ca content with the manufacturers’ declaration. The material consisted of 108 FS. Ca content was determined by atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). It was shown that 1.9% of the samples were characterized by a Ca content that was too low in comparison to the manufacturer’s declaration, while a content that was relatively too high was found in 54.6% of FS. The quality of FS should be monitored to ensure patient safety.