It is also available in dietary supplements.
Who Should Take Calcium Supplements?
The following groups may benefit fromcalcium supplements:
Who Doesn’t Need Them?
Getty Images / Maria Korneeva
If you are getting enough calcium from your diet, you don’t need to take calcium supplements.
If you’re unsure whether you are getting enough calcium, discuss your diet with a registered dietitian.
High calcium levels can occur in certain health conditions like cancer andprimary hyperparathyroidism.
How Much Calcium Do You Need Daily?
Calcium requirements increase with age and are highest during adolescence and teenage years when bone development is crucial.
Pregnancy and lactation do not change calcium requirements.
Supplements are intended to help meet calcium requirements when intake from the diet is low.
You do not need to supplement calcium if you meet your calcium needs with food.
Best Dosage for Absorption
Calcium intake and calcium absorption have an inverse relationship.
Therefore, calcium absorption in supplement form is best in doses of 500 mg or less.
Taking calcium supplements in excess of 2,000 mg daily can interfere with the absorption of iron and zinc.
This may include people who avoid dairy products for various reasons or individuals who have problems with calcium absorption.
These individuals can take calcium supplements to be sure they are getting enough and prevent developing a deficiency.
A calcium deficiency can lead to reduced bone strength and osteoporosis.
Calcium and vitamin D are sometimes supplemented together due to their mutual benefits for bone health.
However, research has found mixed results on this pairing.
Calcium gluconate and calcium lactate are also available compounds but provide less elemental calcium.
When it comes to calcium carbonate versus calcium citrate, neither form is necessarily better than the other.
For calcium, the elemental calcium dose should be listed.
As a result, some supplement products may not contain the ingredients listed on the label.
Whenchoosing a supplement, look for products independently tested or certified by organizations such asNSF,U.S.
However, it is generally recommended to take calcium supplements with food.
Absorption of calcium is better when it is taken with food.
This is especially true if you are taking calcium carbonate and you have low amounts of stomach acid.
Calcium carbonate relies on the acidity of stomach acid for absorption.
If you take it with food, it is less likely to cause gas, bloating, and constipation.
If you take antacids routinely, it’s possible for you to include this in your total calcium intake.
However, antacids are not recommended as a way to supplement calcium.
Summary
Calcium is a mineral found in the body.
It is also available in the diet and as a supplement.
Supplementation is beneficial for people who don’t get enough calcium in their diet.
National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.Calcium: fact sheet for health professionals.
2023;1(1):CD012664.
2016 Aug;27(8):2643-2646. doi: 10.1007/s00198-016-3699-z.
2018;10(10):CD001059.
2015;101(1):87-117. doi:10.3945/ajcn.113.067157
