Dear Eleanor, > Could you tell me please tell me about Calcium Citrate--what it is and what > effect it has on dementia? People over age 50 are advised to get 1200 mg of calcium daily, which can be difficult to get in a day's meals. Therefore, many need to use calcium supplements, and the most common is calcium carbonate (Tums is an example of calcium carbonate). However, it is an antacid, and long-term use can suppress stomach acids. This is significant, because stomach acids are needed in order to digest vitamin B12. Older adults often don't make as much of these stomach acids as they used to, so an antacid can really have an impact on the absorption of B12. And B12 depletes rather slowly, sometimes over a period of several years. Signs of deficiency mimic those of Alzheimer's-type dementia, and misdiagnosis can occur. So I often recommend calcium citrate for some individuals who need calcium supplements; it is not an antacid, and is well absorbed. > My Mother has hallucinations sometimes. She > takes Resperidal at night for the confusion and the hallucinations, but > lately it doesn't seem to be doing a lot of good. Her Dr. told me yesterday > that I could add 1/2 tablet if needed. Would Calcium Citrate help? No, calcium citrate will not help with hallucinations. Some medications can cause hallucinations, particularly when several medications are used, especially in older adults; I would ask her doctor if she could reduce the amount of any of her medications, or if there are any that could be eliminated. My very best regards to you and your mother, Kathrynne -- Kathrynne Holden, MS, RD Medical nutrition therapy http://www.nutritionucanlivewith.com/ "We are living in a world today where lemonade is made from artificial flavors and furniture polish is made from real lemons." --Alfred E. Newman