Make no bones about it. Calcium is a critical nutrient for the prevention of osteoporosis, a disease of thinning bones that affects about 8 million women and 2 million men in the U.S. Most people don't get enough of this vital nutrient, though.
The best source of calcium for your bones is found in foods like milk, yogurt, canned salmon or beans. Supplements, if taken regularly, can also be very helpful if you don't get enough in your diet.
How much is enough?
Calcium intake is important at every age, but you need more of it as you get older. The National Academy of Sciences recommends:
- 500 mg (1 to 3 years)
- 800 mg (4 to 8 years)
- 1,300 mg (9 to 18 years)
- 1,000 mg (19 to 50 years)
- 1,200 mg (51+ years)
What to look for
Estimate how much calcium you get from your food each day. Then choose a supplement that will give you the extra amount you need. Check the label for the amount of elemental calcium; this is what your body absorbs.
Calcium supplements come in all forms, from pills and flavored chews to liquids and antacid tablets. The preference is yours.
Types
For proper absorption, calcium must be attached to another substance. The two most common are:
- Calcium citrate (Citracal or Solgar)
- Easily absorbed.
- Does not require extra stomach acid to absorb. Can be taken any time of day.
- Typically provides less elemental calcium per pill, so several daily pills may be needed.
- Calcium carbonate (Tums, Rolaids, Oscal, Viactive, Caltrate)
- Requires stomach acid to absorb.
- Absorbed best when taken with or right after meals, or with a glass of orange juice.
- Typically contains more elemental calcium per pill, so you may not need to take as many.
- May cause gas and bloating in some people. Splitting the dosage or switching to a citrate source may help.
Purity
- Look for labels that have the USP (United States Pharmacopeia) symbol.
- Avoid calcium from unrefined oyster shell, bone meal or dolomite; they may contain high levels of lead or other toxic metals.
Absorption
- Most experts agree that eating a balanced diet is the best way to ensure you absorb the most calcium.
- Your body cannot absorb more than 500 mg of elemental calcium at one time. Divide up your pills during the day as needed.
- If you have a calcium food source at a meal, take your supplement at a different time.
- Iron interferes with calcium absorption. Take these two supplements separately.
- Calcium may interact with other medications and vitamins. Check with your pharmacist or doctor before adding a supplement.
Combine with vitamin D
Vitamin D plays a critical role in helping your body absorb calcium. Unless you are in the sun on a regular basis, or get adequate vitamin D from other sources, it would be wise to take a combined supplement of calcium and vitamin D together.
According to the National Institutes of Health, adequate vitamin D intake is 400 IU for healthy people ages 51 through 70. Healthy adults aged 71 and over should strive for 600 IU daily. People with thinning of the bones, osteoporosis or who are frail or housebound may need up to 800 IU. The guidelines of the National Osteoporosis Foundation are slightly higher. They say that adults age 50 and older should get 800 IU to 1,000 IU of vitamin D each day.
Can you get too much calcium?
- Taking too much calcium (more than 2,000 mg per day) can damage your kidneys and interfere with the absorption of other minerals.
- Although more research is needed, some studies suggest that men who take more than the daily recommended amount of calcium may have an increased risk for prostate cancer.
Calcium supplements may very well help you prevent osteoporosis, but don't neglect a healthy lifestyle. Proper diet and regular weight-bearing exercises are also important - and you won't find them in the vitamin aisle.
