Elemental calcium is the pure mineral, but calcium in its natural form exists with other compounds. Supplements may contain different proportions of calcium compounds and elemental calcium.

For example:. This type is commonly available, and it is relatively cheap and convenient. A person should take it with food, as stomach acid helps the body absorb it. A person can take it with or without food.

It is useful for people with inflammatory bowel disease, achlorhydria, and some absorption disorders. Most experts agree that it is better to obtain nutrients from natural food sources, although sometimes it is not possible to get enough in this way.

Some people report gastrointestinal symptoms, such as bloating, constipation , gas, or a combination of all three when using calcium supplements.

Calcium citrate usually has fewer and less pronounced side effects than calcium carbonate. Taking the supplements with food, or spreading their intake throughout the day may help reduce the occurrence or intensity of the side effects. Although high calcium levels due to taking too many supplements might cause these severe side effects, they are more likely the result of cancer and thyroid problems, according to the ODS.

Past studies have raised concerns that taking calcium supplements may increase the risk of:. Calcium is essential for building and maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Among other roles, it may also help manage blood pressure. It is best to obtain sufficient calcium through dietary sources, such as dairy products, green leafy vegetables, and tofu.

However, a doctor may recommend supplementation for some people. Due to individual differences in requirements, experts do not recommend calcium supplementation for everyone. Anyone who is considering taking supplements should ask their healthcare provider for advice.

Calcium supplements are available for purchase online. Calcium is a nutrient that can benefit a person's teeth and bones. A calcium deficiency may have adverse effects on a person's dental health. Hypercalcemia occurs when a person has too much calcium in their blood. There are multiple possible causes.

Learn how hypercalcemia affects the body…. The nutrients in milk can help maintain bone, brain, and heart health, but some people either choose not to drink it or cannot tolerate it. Learn more…. Magnesium supplements can help support general health and well-being.

Learn more here. Selenium is a mineral that supports a range of body functions. Learn about the benefits, side effects, recommended daily dosage, and 10 of the best….

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One reason may be a fairly short duration. Due to higher cost and difficulty with continued compliance from participants, clinical trials tend to be shorter in duration than epidemiological studies.

But colorectal cancer can take years or longer to develop, during which these trials might not reflect any changes in the colon.

After a review of both cohort and clinical studies by the World Cancer Research Fund and the American Institute for Cancer Research, they reported strong evidence that calcium supplements of more than mg daily and intake of high-calcium dairy foods will likely decrease the risk of colorectal cancer.

Certain bacteria in dairy foods may also be protective against the development of cancerous cells in the colon.

At one time, experts recommended that people with kidney stones limit their calcium intake because the mineral makes up one of the most common types of stones, called calcium-oxalate stones. What we know now is the reverse—that not eating enough calcium-rich foods can increase the risk of stone formation.

However the same effect is not true with supplements, as calcium in pill form was found to increase risk. A benefit of calcium-rich foods mainly from dairy on the prevention of kidney stones was found in a cohort of 45, men.

Intakes of skim or low-fat milk and cottage cheese or ricotta cheese showed the greatest protective effect. It is believed that calcium-rich foods reduce the formation of stones by lowering the absorption of oxalates, which make up calcium-oxalate stones. However, other undetermined components of dairy foods may also be responsible for the decreased risk.

Fruits, leafy greens, beans, nuts, and some starchy vegetables are good sources. Plant foods like leafy greens contain less calcium overall but have a higher bioavailability than dairy. Therefore, eating 1 cup of cooked bok choy has almost as much bioavailable calcium as 1 cup of milk.

This may be useful information for those who cannot eat dairy foods or who follow a vegan diet. The takeaway message is not to avoid spinach, which contains other valuable nutrients, but not to rely on spinach as a significant source of calcium since most of it will not be absorbed by the body.

If you are scanning food labels to reach a specific amount of daily calcium, continue to aim for the RDAs set for your age group and gender. The RDAs are established with an understanding of calcium bioavailability in food.

Also keep in mind that the exact amount of calcium absorbed in the body will vary among individuals based on their metabolism and what other foods are eaten at the same meal. In general, eating a variety of calcium-rich foods can help to offset any small losses.

Blood levels of calcium are tightly regulated. Bones will release calcium into the blood if the diet does not provide enough, and no symptoms usually occur. A more serious deficiency of calcium, called hypocalcemia, results from diseases such as kidney failure, surgeries of the digestive tract like gastric bypass, or medications like diuretics that interfere with absorption.

A gradual, progressive calcium deficiency can occur in people who do not get enough dietary calcium in the long-term or who lose the ability to absorb calcium. The first early stage of bone loss is called osteopenia and, if untreated, osteoporosis follows. Examples of people at risk include:.

After a diagnosis of osteoporosis, your physician may prescribe over-the-counter calcium supplements. However, there are several points to consider when using calcium supplements. Too much calcium in the blood is called hypercalcemia. The Upper Limit UL for calcium is 2, mg daily from food and supplements.

People over the age of 50 should not take more than 2, mg daily, especially from supplements, as this can increase risk of some conditions like kidney stones, prostate cancer, and constipation. Some research has shown that in certain people, calcium can accumulate in blood vessels with long-term high doses and cause heart problems.

Calcium is also a large mineral that can block the absorption of other minerals like iron and zinc. Certain nutrients and medications may increase your need for calcium because they either lower the absorption of calcium in the gut or cause more calcium to be excreted in the urine.

These include: corticosteroids example: prednisone , excess sodium in the diet, phosphoric acid such as found in dark cola sodas, excess alcohol, and oxalates see Are anti-nutrients harmful? The contents of this website are for educational purposes and are not intended to offer personal medical advice.

You should seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The Nutrition Source does not recommend or endorse any products.

Skip to content The Nutrition Source. The Nutrition Source Menu. Search for:. Home Nutrition News What Should I Eat? For people with kidney disease, the aluminum levels could be toxic. Taking calcium with a beta-blocker may interfere with blood levels of both the calcium and the beta-blocker.

Study results aren't clear, however. It also has been reported that calcium interferes with calcium channel blockers. But these study results are also mixed.

If you take a beta-blocker or calcium-channel blocker, do not take calcium supplements without your doctor's supervision. Beta-blockers include atenolol Tenormin , metoprolol Lopressor, Toprol-XL , and propranolol Inderal, Inderal LA , among others. Calcium-channel blockers include amlodipine Norvasc , diltiazem Cardizem , and nifedipine Procardia.

A type of medication known as bile acid sequestrants, used to treat high cholesterol, may interfere with calcium absorption and raise the amount of calcium that leaves the body in urine. Your doctor may recommend taking calcium and vitamin D supplements. These drugs include cholestyramine Questran , colestipol Colestid , colesevelam Welchol.

Taking calcium supplements while using calcipotriene, a topical medication for psoriasis, could increase the risk of having calcium levels that are too high hypercalcemia. High levels of calcium may raise the risk of a toxic reaction to digoxin, a medication used to treat irregular heart rhythms.

On the other hand, low levels of calcium keep digoxin from working. If you take digoxin, your doctor should monitor your calcium levels closely. Estrogens may contribute to an overall increase in calcium blood levels.

Taking calcium supplements with estrogens improves bone density. Taking calcium during treatment with the antibiotic gentamicin may increase the potential for toxic effects on the kidneys.

Sotalol is used to treat an irregular heartbeat. Calcium may decrease how much sotalol is absorbed by the body. Some seizure medications, such as phenytoin Dilantin , carbamazepine Tegretol , phenobarbitol, and primidone Mysoline , may lower levels of calcium in the body. Some doctors recommend taking vitamin D along with anti seizure drugs to keep calcium levels up.

Take doses of calcium and anti seizure medications at least 2 hours apart because each interferes with the absorption of the other.

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Increased intake of calcium reverses vitamin B12 malabsorption induced by metformin. Diabetes Care. Bendich A. The potential for dietary supplements to reduce premenstrual syndrome PMS symptoms [review].

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Need for additional calcium to reduce the risk of hip fracture with vitamin d supplementation: evidence from a comparative metaanalysis of randomized controlled trials. Borghi L, Schianchi T, Meschi T, et al.

Comparison of two diets for the prevention of recurrent stones in idiopathic hypercalciuria. N Engl J Med. Bostick RM, Fosdick L, Grandits GA, Grambsch P, Gross M, Louis TA. Effect of calcium supplementation on serum cholesterol and blood pressure.

Arch Fam Med. Caan B, Neuhouser M, Aragaki A, Lewis CB, Jackson R, LeBoff MS, et al. Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of postmenopausal weight gain.

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BJU Int. Davies KM, Heaney RP, Recker RR, et al. Calcium intake and body weight. Emkey R, Emkey G. Calcium metabolism and correcting calcium deficiencies. Endocrinology and Metabolism Clinics. Giovannucci E, Liu Y, Stampfer MJ, Willett WC. A prospective study of calcium intake and incident and fatal prostate cancer.

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Sunscreen with an SPF as low as 8 reduces vitamin D production by 95 percent. Vitamin D is found in very few foods. Sources include fatty fish like wild-caught mackerel, salmon, and tuna. Vitamin D is added to milk and other dairy products, orange juice, soymilk, and fortified cereals. Check the food label to see if vitamin D has been added to a particular product.

The DV is based on a total daily intake of IU of vitamin D. It is often difficult to get all the vitamin D you need from sunlight and food alone. Some people with underlying conditions may need to take vitamin D supplements to support bone health. Healthy adults with no vitamin D deficiency should be able to get adequate amounts of vitamin D from sunlight and by consuming a well-balanced diet.

People with osteoporosis and low bone mass should discuss their vitamin D levels with their healthcare provider to ensure they are getting an optimal amount.

Before adding a vitamin D supplement, check to see if any of the other supplements, multivitamins, or medications you take contain vitamin D. Many calcium supplements also contain some vitamin D. There are two types of vitamin D supplements. They are vitamin D2 ergocalciferol and vitamin D3 cholecalciferol.

Both types are good for bone health. Vitamin D supplements can be taken with or without food and the full amount can be taken at one time. While your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium, you do not need to take vitamin D at the same time as a calcium supplement. If you need help choosing a vitamin D supplement, ask your healthcare provider to recommend one.

Vitamin D deficiency occurs when you are not getting the recommended level of vitamin D over time. Certain people are at higher risk for vitamin D deficiency, including:.

Talk to your healthcare provider if you have any of these risk factors. We all know that milk is a great source of calcium, but you may be surprised by all the different foods you can work into your diet to reach your daily recommended amount of calcium.

Use the guide below to get ideas of additional calcium-rich foods to add to your weekly shopping list. Check the food label to determine how much calcium is in a particular product. Osteoporosis is a disease that makes your bones weak and more likely to break. Four in 20 women and 1 in 20 men older than 65 years in the United States have osteoporosis.

Calcium helps keep your bones strong and makes them less likely to break. For more ideas, check out this list of foods that are high in calcium. Getting calcium from foods is best. You can take a multivitamin with calcium or a pill that has only calcium. Learn how to understand and use the Nutrition Facts label.

To find foods high in calcium when you go food shopping, use this calcium shopping list. Vitamin D helps your body absorb take in calcium.

You can also get vitamin D from:. That means eating a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and proteins. Learn more about healthy eating. Reviewed by: Kara Beckman ORISE Nutrition Policy Fellow Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion.

Dennis Anderson-Villaluz, MBA, RD, LDN, FAND Lieutenant Commander, U. Fact sheet for health professionals: Calcium. Updated June 2, Accessed September 26, US Preventive Services Task Force; Grossman DC, Curry SJ, Owens DK, et al.

Vitamin D, calcium, or combined supplementation for the primary prevention of fractures in community-dwelling adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement.

Updated by: Diane M. Horowitz, MD, Rheumatology and Internal Medicine, Northwell Health, Great Neck, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C.

Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A. Editorial team. Calcium, vitamin D, and your bones. Bone Strength and Calcium. How Much Calcium and Vitamin D do I Need?

All children ages 9 to 18 should have: mg of calcium daily IU of vitamin D daily All people age 19 to 50 should have: mg of calcium daily to IU of vitamin D daily Adults age 51 and older should have: Women: mg of calcium daily Men: mg of calcium daily Men and women: to IU of vitamin D daily.

Too much calcium or vitamin D can lead to problems such as an increased risk for kidney stones. Total calcium should not exceed mg per day Total vitamin D should not exceed IU per day. Calcium and Dairy Products. Yogurt, most cheeses, and buttermilk come in fat-free or low-fat versions.

Vitamin D helps your body use calcium , which is why vitamin D is often added to milk. Other Sources of Calcium. Other good food sources of calcium are: Salmon and sardines that are canned with their bones you can eat these soft bones Almonds, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds, tahini sesame paste , and dried beans Blackstrap molasses Other tips to make sure your body can use the calcium in your diet: Cook high-calcium vegetables in a small amount of water for the shortest possible time.

They will retain more calcium this way.