{"id":632363,"date":"2025-06-03T09:30:30","date_gmt":"2025-06-03T13:30:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=632363"},"modified":"2025-05-27T14:40:24","modified_gmt":"2025-05-27T18:40:24","slug":"foods-to-avoid-while-taking-calcitriol","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/foods-to-avoid-while-taking-calcitriol\/","title":{"rendered":"3 foods to avoid while taking calcitriol"},"content":{"rendered":"

Growing up, there is a strong emphasis on drinking milk to fulfill your vitamin D and calcium needs. But as adults, it’s easy to forget you still need these essential nutrients. While some people eat enough as part of a balanced diet, others develop low calcium levels (calcium deficiency) and may need a prescription supplement like <\/span>calcitriol<\/span><\/a>, which is sold under the brand name Rocaltrol.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When taking calcitriol, you may need to limit your intake of foods rich in calcium, vitamin D, and phosphorus. Consuming large amounts of these nutrients with calcitriol can lead to excess levels, which may cause health problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

How calcitriol works<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cCalcitriol is the <\/span>active form of vitamin D<\/span><\/a> in the body. It helps maintain calcium and phosphate balance in the blood, to maintain healthy bones, teeth, and muscle function,\u201d explains Nicolle Overstreet, DO, a family physician with Medical Offices of Manhattan in New York, New York. Calcitriol is FDA-approved to treat calcium deficiency in <\/span>chronic kidney disease<\/span><\/a>, secondary hyperparathyroidism in chronic kidney disease, and hypoparathyroidism. Off-label, it is also sometimes used to treat rickets, osteomalacia, or calcium deficiencies from other causes.<\/span><\/p>\n

After you swallow a capsule or liquid solution containing calcitriol, it gets to work in a number of locations in the body to regulate your calcium levels. \u201cFrom the gut, it binds vitamin D receptors in intestinal cells that pull calcium and phosphate from food into the bloodstream. From the bones, it promotes mineralization. From the kidney, it decreases renal calcium loss and increases phosphate reabsorption,\u201d explains <\/span>Chance Mysayphonh, Pharm.D.<\/span><\/a>, Senior Director of Clinical and Therapeutic Initiatives at Fresenius Kidney Care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Another way calcitriol works is in the <\/span>parathyroid glands<\/span><\/a>, which produce hormones that are responsible for keeping calcium levels stable. If these glands are producing too much parathyroid hormone (PTH), it can prompt calcium to be pulled out of the bones, Dr. Mysayphonh adds. Calcitriol lowers PTH production to prevent this.<\/span><\/p>\n

Calcitriol<\/span><\/a> is fully absorbed within three to six hours of taking the medicine. It takes about seven days of consistent use for the drug to reach steady levels in the body and maintain a stable effect on calcium levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Calcitriol coupons<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

3 foods to avoid with calcitriol<\/span><\/h2>\n

\u201cNot many foods interact with calcitriol,\u201d says Dr. Mysayphonh. That said, it\u2019s not direct interactions you need to worry about. Instead, it\u2019s the way that certain foods may increase the levels of the same minerals that calcitriol is increasing, namely, calcium. This can take your problem of having too little calcium and send it in the opposite direction, creating a calcium overload and leading to potentially serious side effects. That\u2019s why experts recommend limiting or avoiding the following types of foods.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. High calcium foods<\/span><\/h3>\n

\u201cWhen taking calcitriol, you should avoid high calcium intake from other sources,\u201d notes <\/span>Dr. Overstreet<\/span><\/a>. Your healthcare provider will tell you exactly how much calcium you need to be getting from your diet based on the dose of calcitriol you are taking, but it\u2019s very important not to go over this recommendation to avoid high levels of calcium.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As a general rule, it\u2019s smart to avoid eating too many high-calcium foods, such as:<\/span><\/p>\n