First Lady Michelle Obama shares tips on parenting with moms and other audience members in a WebMD Town Hall meeting in Miami, Florida.
Getting Enough Calcium
Topic Overview
Calcium is very important for building and maintaining strong, healthy bones. The amount of calcium needed changes as a person grows older. Most Americans get only half the calcium they need from their diet.
The recommended daily calcium intake for adults ages 19 to 50 is 1,000 mg a day, increasing to 1,200 mg a day for adults older than 50. Calcium is found in many foods, including dairy products such as milk or yogurt. Most postmenopausal women need to take calcium supplements because they do not get enough calcium in their daily diets.
There are lots of good reasons to take a multivitamin. Even the best eating plans can fall short of meeting all of the 40-plus nutrients you need each day. Most Americans fail to meet dietary recommendations for many reasons, including strict dieting, poor appetite, changing nutritional needs, or less-than-healthy food choices. Taking a once-daily multivitamin is an easy way to fill in small nutritional gaps. But strolling down the vitamin aisle to choose the best multivitamin...
Read the How to Choose a Multivitamin article > >
- Eating foods high in calcium, such as yogurt, cheese, and dark green vegetables like broccoli, is the best way to get the calcium you need.
- Taking calcium supplements is another way to increase calcium in your diet. But you need to take supplements that can be absorbed in your stomach. Calcium supplements with vitamin D may slightly increase your risk of kidney stones.
To increase your body's ability to absorb calcium, take calcium supplements with milk or with foods that contain vitamin D. Taking calcium without vitamin D probably is not beneficial.1
Avoid eating bran (such as bran cereals) at the same time as foods that are high in calcium. Bran decreases the amount of calcium absorbed by the body.
WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise
Last Updated:
November 10, 2010
This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor.
Healthwise disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this
information.
© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.
Parenting and Family Highlights
Getting Enough Calcium
Top 12 Health Topics-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Top 12 Videos-
1.
-
2.
-
3.
-
4.
-
5.
-
6.
-
7.
-
8.
-
9.
-
10.
-
11.
-
12.
Hot Topics
- Which Drugstore Tooth Whiteners Work Best?
- Kids' Top 6 Worries and How to Fix Them
- Surprising Headache Triggers
- Safe Ways to Lose Weight Fast
- Counting Carbs When You Use Insulin
- Fibromyalgia: Symptoms and Treatments
- CML: How It Affects Your Body
- 6 Sex Mistakes Men Make
- Dupuytren's Contracture: What You Need to Know
- Symptoms of Vitamin B12 Deficiency
WebMD Video: Now Playing
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
Advertise With Us|WebMD Corporate|Medscape Reference|eMedicineHealth|RxList|Medscape|MedicineNet|BootsWebMD
©2005-2012 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.
WebMD does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See additional information.