Yanhee Kalcab Calcium 60 Capsules

Yanhee Kalcab, 60 capsules — Thai calcium with finger root and black pepper: about 134 mg of elemental calcium per capsule, one jar is exactly one month, shellfish-free

Calcium from Yanhee, the brand behind the well-known Bangkok hospital, manufactured by the pharmaceutical plant Ya In Thai. Each capsule holds 334,5 mg of calcium carbonate together with the traditional Thai pair: finger root (krachai) and black pepper. The maker advises two capsules after breakfast, so a jar of 60 lasts exactly 30 days. No oysters or molluscs — suitable for people who cannot take marine calcium.

What this product is

Kalcab (คาลแคบ) is a dietary supplement by Ya In Thai Co., Ltd. for the Yanhee brand, Thai FDA registration 12-1-48441-5-0005. Per capsule, as printed on the jar: calcium carbonate 334,5 mg, finger root powder 19,3 mg, black pepper powder 19,3 mg. Calcium carbonate is 40 % calcium by weight, which gives about 134 mg of elemental calcium per capsule and roughly 268 mg in the daily two — a little over a quarter of an adult's requirement. Finger root (Boesenbergia rotunda) and black pepper are the classic Thai companions of mineral supplements, traditionally added to aid digestion and absorption. Their doses here are small, so treat them as part of the recipe rather than as active ingredients in their own right.

How it differs from the former oyster Kal Cab

If you used to buy our Kal Cab Oyster Powder in jars of 100, it has been discontinued and Kalcab replaces it. The differences are worth knowing:

• a different calcium source — oyster and oyster shell powder before, plain calcium carbonate now;
• no shellfish — the old one was unsuitable for people allergic to molluscs, this one is fine;
• 60 capsules instead of 100, but the dosing changed too: two a day, so the jar is a one-month course;
• finger root and black pepper stayed — same recipe idea, same Ya In Thai plant.

Why people take it

• Bones — calcium as building material; the need grows after 40 and especially during menopause;
• Teeth and gums — mineral support for enamel;
• Muscles — night cramps in the calves are often linked to low calcium and magnesium;
• Nails and hair — when they become brittle or split;
• When dairy is out — lactose intolerance, or simply a diet without milk products.

How to take it

The manufacturer recommends two capsules a day after breakfast, with water. With food for a reason: calcium carbonate needs stomach acid to dissolve and is absorbed noticeably worse on an empty stomach. Calcium also needs vitamin D — in Thailand the sun provides it, in a northern winter take D3 separately. A usual course is one to three months, then a break. Keep at least two hours between this and iron, zinc or tetracycline antibiotics: together they interfere with each other's absorption.

About stomach acid

Calcium carbonate is the same substance found in familiar chewable antacid tablets, and the Thai manufacturer notes that Kalcab eases excess acidity. Still, do not buy it as a heartburn remedy: the dose per capsule is below an antacid dose, and it is meant to be taken with food for absorption rather than for neutralising acid. Consider it a pleasant side property, not the purpose.

Who it suits

Adults short of dietary calcium; women over 40; anyone with brittle nails and hair; and those who cannot take oyster or other marine calcium. The manufacturer states on the jar that children and pregnant women must not take it.

Specifications

Important

This is a dietary supplement, not a medicine: it does not treat osteoporosis and does not replace prescribed drugs — the jar itself carries the mandatory Thai statement that the product neither prevents nor cures disease. Not for children or pregnant women. Use only with a doctor's approval if you have high blood calcium, kidney stones, kidney failure, or take cardiac glycosides or thiazide diuretics. With low stomach acidity, carbonate is absorbed worse than calcium citrate — another form may suit you better.

Storage

Keep the jar closed, in a dry place at room temperature, away from sunlight. The desiccant sachet inside is not to be eaten — but do not throw it away either.

Questions and answers

How much actual calcium is in a capsule?

About 134 mg. The label states calcium carbonate 334,5 mg, and calcium makes up 40 % of its weight. The daily two capsules give roughly 268 mg, a quarter or so of an adult's daily requirement; the rest is meant to come from food.

How is it different from the old oyster Kal Cab?

In the calcium source: oyster and shell powder before, calcium carbonate now. Finger root and black pepper remain, and the plant is the same. The practical gain is that it contains no shellfish.

Why 60 capsules and not 100?

Different dosing. The old one was taken one or two capsules at a time; this one is prescribed as two a day, making the jar a one-month course.

Is vitamin D needed?

Yes, calcium is absorbed poorly without it. Sunlight usually covers it in summer; in winter take D3 separately.

Safe with a shellfish allergy?

Yes. The composition is calcium carbonate, finger root and black pepper — no molluscs or fish. Caution only applies if you react to black pepper or to the ginger family, to which finger root belongs.

What is finger root?

Boesenbergia rotunda, กระชาย in Thai — a rhizome of the ginger family. Thais use it both in cooking and in supplements as a digestive helper.