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Importance of Calcium for Healthy Bones

Maintaining strong and healthy bones is critical and one mineral that plays a key role in this is calcium. Consuming calcium-rich foods such as dairy products and spinach is necessary. However, meeting your daily calcium needs can be challenging if you don’t include such foods in your diet regularly.

For adults, the recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 mg. As for women above 50 and men above 70, they need 1,200 mg daily. A study published in the journal Nutrients in 2024 found that 4 out of 10 adults aren’t meeting these requirements.

Consequences of Calcium Deficiency

According to Bess Dawson-Hughes, MD, a professor of medicine at Tufts University School of Medicine in Boston, if your diet isn’t providing enough calcium, your body starts compensating by extracting it from your bones. This can lead to a calcium deficiency disease called osteoporosis, significantly increasing the risk of bone fractures and breaks.

If you’re at risk of developing osteoporosis or if you’re not getting enough calcium from your diet, you may want to consider taking a calcium supplement.

Choosing the Right Calcium Supplement

It’s important to be mindful of the amount of calcium you’re consuming. Overloading on calcium can lead to constipation, kidney issues and, as per some research, even heart attacks. Before starting any supplement, it’s always a good idea to speak with your doctor and determine the right dose for you.

The maximum recommended intake of calcium is 2,500 mg for those under 51 and 2,000 mg for those over 51. Calcium carbonate is typically the most cost-effective supplement. However, if it causes constipation, you might want to consider trying calcium citrate instead.