Osteoporosis Health Center

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Taking calcium for osteoporosis

Bone thinning occurs as part of the natural process of aging. If the thinning continues to the point that your bones become fragile and in danger of breaking, you have osteoporosis. However, osteoporosis is considered a preventable disease.

Key points

After age 30, men and women naturally begin to lose bone mass. You can slow bone loss and possibly prevent osteoporosis by eating a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D.
Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is especially critical for women in the first few years after menopause, when bone mass is lost more rapidly.
Most Americans get only half the calcium they need from their diet. If you do not get enough calcium from the foods you eat, change your diet or take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium.
If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, you should take calcium and vitamin D supplements in addition to any other medication prescribed by your doctor.
Calcium is found in many foods, including dairy products such as milk or yogurt, fortified orange juice, and many vegetables.

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Osteoporosis

What is the recommended daily amount of calcium?

Calcium should always be taken with vitamin D, because vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium.

**Recommended calcium by age or life stage**
Age or life stage	Recommended calcium intake (milligrams per day)
1–3 years	500
4–8 years	800
9–18 years	1,300
19–50 years	1,000
Older than 50 years	1,200
Pregnant or nursing women need the same as other women their age.	1,000–1,200
Diagnosed with osteoporosis	1,200

Most people do not get enough calcium through diet alone. You need to eat 3 to 4 servings per day of foods high in calcium to get the recommended daily amount.

Test Your Knowledge

If I am a woman older than age 50, I need about 1,200 mg of calcium a day to keep my bones strong and healthy.

Why is calcium used to treat or prevent osteoporosis?

Calcium, combined with vitamin D, phosphorus, and weight-bearing exercise, keeps bone loss from getting worse or helps reduce the rate of bone loss that occurs with osteoporosis.

Your bones need vitamin D to absorb calcium. One study showed that vitamin D may reduce an older person's risk for falling by 22%.¹ You need 200 IU of vitamin D per day if you are an adult age 19 to 50. If you are age 51 to 70, you need 400 IU per day of vitamin D, and if you are age 71 or older, you need 600 IU of vitamin D a day. If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, you need 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D each day.

If you live in a sunny climate, you can get enough vitamin D through 10 to 15 minutes per day of sun exposure a few days a week; however, older people may not get enough this way. You can also get vitamin D in foods such as egg yolks, liver, saltwater fish, and dairy products fortified with vitamin D. Taking a vitamin D supplement along with your calcium can help strengthen your bones.

Test Your Knowledge

Calcium increases bone mass and reduces the risk for developing osteoporosis.

How can I get enough calcium in my daily diet?

Many foods contain high amounts of calcium. It is important that you also get enough vitamin D and phosphorus along with calcium to help your body absorb the calcium. The following table shows foods that are rich in calcium.

**Calcium-rich foods**
Food	Serving size	Calcium (mg) per serving
Yogurt (low-fat)	8 oz	345–448
Yogurt (plain)	8 oz	275–415
Sardines in oil	3 oz	325
Milk (skim, 1%, 2%, and whole)	1 cup	276–349
Cheddar cheese	1 oz	204
Tofu (if made with calcium sulfate)	1/2 cup	125–861
Turnip greens (boiled)	1/2 cup	197
Canned salmon (with bones)	3 oz	188
Cottage cheese (1% milk fat)	1 cup	138
Ice cream	1/2 cup	92
Broccoli (raw)	1 cup	43

The best source of calcium is milk fortified with vitamin D. Four glasses a day provide 1,200 mg of calcium. Other good sources of calcium include shrimp, blackstrap molasses, calcium-fortified tofu, and almonds. You can also buy foods that have been calcium-fortified, such as cereals, orange juice, and soy milk. Read the food label to know how much calcium was added.

Because most Americans get only half the calcium they need from their diet, many people need to take a calcium supplement. Everyone who has been diagnosed with osteoporosis should take calcium and vitamin D supplements in addition to eating a diet rich in these nutrients.

Types of calcium supplements include:

Calcium carbonate, which is 40% elemental calcium.
Calcium citrate, which is 21% elemental calcium. While lower in elemental calcium than calcium carbonate, calcium citrate is easier to digest and does not cause constipation as much as other types of calcium supplements.
Calcium gluconate and calcium lactate, which contain a low amount of elemental calcium.

The following table shows examples of calcium supplements. Some of these products include vitamin D. Be sure to take vitamin D with calcium, either in combination or separately, to help your body absorb the calcium into your bones.

**Types of calcium supplements**
Product name	Calcium in each tablet
Healthy Woman Bone Health Supplement plus vitamin D	600 mg calcium carbonate
Caltrate (tablets or chewables)	600 mg calcium carbonate
Citracal Calcium Citrate Plus D, Coated Caplets	315 mg calcium citrate
Calci-Chew Wafers	500 mg calcium carbonate
Viactiv Soft Calcium Chews plus D	500 mg calcium carbonate
Vitaline	250 mg calcium citrate

Take the number of tablets per day that satisfies your daily recommended amount of calcium based on your age and health condition. You should not get more than 2,500 mg per day of calcium, whether it is from supplements or food. Calcium supplements with vitamin D may slightly increase your risk of kidney stones.²

Test Your Knowledge

I am 35 years old and drink 2 glasses of milk per day. That's enough calcium to reduce my risk of bone loss.

I am a woman older than 65 and do not eat dairy products. I can get enough calcium by taking a good calcium supplement along with getting enough vitamin D to help my body absorb the calcium.

Where to go from here

Now that you have read this information, you can feel confident that you know how to get enough calcium daily to prevent or treat osteoporosis and reduce your risk for bone loss.

Citations

Bischoff-Ferrari HA, et al. (2004). Effect of vitamin D on falls: A meta-analysis. JAMA, 291(16): 1999–2006.

Jackson RD, et al. (2006). Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of fractures. New England Journal of Medicine, 354(7): 669–683.

Author	Robin Parks, MS
Editor	Kathleen M. Ariss, MS
Associate Editor	Denele Ivins
Associate Editor	Pat Truman
Primary Medical Reviewer	Joy Melnikow, MD, MPH - Family Medicine
Specialist Medical Reviewer	Carla J. Herman, MD, MPH - Internal Medicine
Last Updated	December 1, 2006

WebMD Medical Reference from Healthwise

Last Updated: December 01, 2006

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.

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