If you’ve been reading this blog for a while then chances are that you’ve seen a mention or two about iron absorption inhibitors, including calcium. This is a bit of a controversial topic since some say that calcium greatly impacts iron absorption and others say it doesn’t. It can get a little confusing when you’re getting conflicting information, so I thought it would be worth discussing further.
There is some evidence to support the impact of calcium on iron absorption, albeit from short-term studies focused on this interaction with single meals. On the other hand, long-term studies have found that calcium and milk products don’t have any adverse effect on iron absorption.