What Is Calcium D-Glucarate?

Calcium D-glucarate is a calcium salt made of calcium and glucaric acid, a chemical compound found naturally in the body and in foods like oranges, grapefruit, apples, and broccoli. Calcium D-glucarate is used for preventing certain types of cancer. It is thought to decrease the body's levels of the hormone estrogen, strengthening your defense against hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast and prostate cancers.

In addition, calcium D-glucarate is said to aid in detoxification by eliminating cancer-causing agents, toxins, and steroid hormones from the body.

What Is Calcium D-Glucarate Used For?

Preliminary research suggests calcium D-glucarate may help prevent certain cancers. The purported benefits of this supplement come from the D-glucarate component, not the calcium.

However, most of the findings on its health effects come from laboratory research and animal-based studies. Results would need to be replicated in humans to be considered applicable.

Here's a look at where research on this supplement stands.

Prostate, Breast, and Colon Cancers

In a 2002 report published in Alternative Medicine Review investigators analyzed the available research on calcium-D-glucarate and found that it may inhibit beta-glucuronidase—an enzyme associated with increased risk for various hormone-dependent cancers, such as breast, prostate, and colon cancers— when it occurs at elevated levels.

Lung Cancer

A 2007 study published in Oncology Letters determined that calcium D-glucarate may help fight lung cancer.

In tests on mice, researchers found that calcium D-glucarate helped inhibit the growth of cancerous tumors in the lungs by curbing inflammation and inducing apoptosis (a type of programmed cell death essential for stopping the proliferation of cancer cells).

Skin Cancer

There's also some evidence that calcium D-glucarate may protect against skin cancer. For example, a 2007 study published in the Journal of Environmental Pathology, Toxicology, and Oncology found that treating mice with calcium D-glucarate helped suppress the development of skin cancer by inducing apoptosis.

Although calcium D-glucarate shows promise as an anti-cancer agent, there is currently a lack of clinical trials testing the use of it in the treatment of any health condition.

Possible Side Effects

There isn't a lot of research into the side effects of calcium D-glucarate, but it is believed to be safe and well-tolerated in humans.

However, due to the lack of research, it should not be taken by women who are pregnant or lactating.

There's some concern that taking calcium D-glucarate in combination with certain medications that are subject to glucuronidation may reduce the medications' effectiveness. Some of these medications include Lipitor (atorvastatin), Ativan (lorazepam), and Tylenol (acetaminophen).

Calcium D-glucarate may also temporarily reduce the levels of other steroid hormones in the body, such as testosterone.

Dosage and Preparation

There is no standard dose for calcium D-glucarate and more research is needed. In a 2004 study published in the journal Chest, doses between 1.5 grams (g) and 9 g a day were well tolerated by subjects.

What to Look For

Widely available for purchase online, calcium-D-glucarate is sold in supplement form in many natural-foods stores, drugstores, and shops specializing in dietary supplements.

Dietary supplements are not regulated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA). When buying calcium D-glucarate, look for a brand that has been tested by a trusted independent third party, such as U.S. Pharmacopeia, NSF International, or ConsumerLab. While certification from such a body doesn't guarantee a supplement's effectiveness, it does ensure that what a product's label says is inside the bottle is what you are actually getting.

Other Questions

Is calcium D-glucarate a good source of calcium?
The supplement contains about 9% of elemental calcium. Better sources of calcium are calcium citrate, which has approximately 21% elemental calcium, and calcium carbonate, which is about 40% elemental calcium. The recommended daily allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams (mg) to 1,200 mg for adults.

Can I get the benefits of calcium D-glucarate from food?
Yes. You can increase your intake of glucaric acid by including certain foods in your diet. For instance, glucaric acid is available in:

• Apples
• Broccoli
• Brussels sprouts
• Cabbage
• Grapefruit
• Kale
• Oranges
• Squash

According to a 2003 report published in Integrative Cancer Therapies, consuming fruits and vegetables naturally rich in glucaric acid "offers a promising cancer prevention approach." The report's authors note that glucaric acid may help protect against cancer by inhibiting beta-glucuronidase.

A Word From Verywell

As you look for ways to decrease your cancer risk, remember that there are other, proven strategies you should consider. Talk with your healthcare provider about following a balanced diet high in antioxidant-rich vegetables and fruit, exercising regularly, and keeping your weight in check. There's also some evidence that people who drink green tea and maintain optimal levels of vitamin D may have a lower risk of some types of cancer.