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Calcium
Calcium

Calcium

How Much Calcium Do You Need Per Day?

The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 1,000 milligrams a day for adult men and women under the age of 50. The RDA increases to 1,200 to 2,000 milligrams a day for adults 50–70 and older, since more calcium is needed to protect aging bones. (10)

In many parts of the world, most adults get less calcium than they need for overall health, especially bone health. For example, in many Asian countries it’s common for adults to consume critically low amounts of dietary calcium, with intake levels often less than 400 to 500 milligrams per day. (11) One large study found that across the 74 countries, the average national dietary calcium intake ranged from 175 to 1233 milligrams/day. (12)

Compared to other minerals, we need a higher amount of calcium each day — making foods high in calcium very important for a number of reasons. In fact, we are thought to have enough calcium in our bodies to constitute 2 percent of our total body weight. What happens when you don’t get enough calcium?

Calcium Deficiency: Risks & Symptoms

Each day, we lose calcium through our skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine and stool. We also cannot make calcium ourselves within our own body, so ideally every day we must replenish our body’s supply.

Experts believe that most adults in the U.S, and many other developed nations too, do not get enough calcium on a daily basis. This is true despite the fact that most of these populations, including Americans and Europeans, consume plenty of dairy products.

It’s believed this discrepancy may be happening because calcium is not being absorbed properly due to low levels of Vitamin D and other essential nutrients. Another theory is that the soil used to grow conventional crops which are normally high in calcium has become depleted of minerals to a certain extent — therefore calcium levels in foods are declining.

The people at highest risk for experiencing a calcium deficiency are children, adolescent girls, and postmenopausal women. (2)  Since dairy products are one of the most common sources of calcium, people who are lactose intolerant or who do not eat dairy for ethical reasons (like vegans and some vegetarians) are also at an increased risk for having a calcium deficiency.

Other people who have digestive disorders that make it hard to break down and use calcium are also at a higher risk for calcium deficiency.

A calcium deficiency can result in symptoms and illnesses including:

Part of the reason that low levels of calcium can cause a range of negative symptoms is that your body pulls calcium from “calcium reserves” that are stored within your bones when your diet does not include enough. It does this to maintain enough calcium in your blood, which is needed at all times and is crucial for ongoing blood vessel and muscle function.

When your body is forced to prioritize its use of available calcium, it uses it for nerve and muscle functions, like those that control your heart beat, rather than for supporting your bones. So, ideally you want to continue to incorporate these calcium sources to keep your calcium at optimum levels and avoid calcium deficiency.

Where to Find and How to Use Calcium Foods

  • If you can’t tolerate dairy products — for example, because you have lactose intolerance or a sensitivity to conventional dairy — then it’s important to eat enough non-dairy calcium-rich foods. Some of the best high-calcium foods that are dairy-free include almonds, navy beans, black eyed peas, organic edamame/tofu, tortillas made with lime, sardines, rockfish, clams, seaweed, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, butternut squash and sweet potato.
  • Whether you eat dairy and meat or not, a great way to load up on essential nutrients and antioxidants is to eat a variety of calcium-rich vegetables. Examples of vegetables high in calcium include broccoli, broccoli rabe, kale, Chinese cabbage, collard greens, okra, Swiss chard, green beans, rapini, carrots, turnip, rhubarb and watercress.
  • Are there any calcium-rich fruits? Yes — oranges and dried figs, for example, both provide some calcium.
  • Full-fat, grass-fed dairy foods (ideally those that are fermented like yogurt, some cheeses or kefir) are good source of not only calcium, but also vitamin K, phosphorus and to some degree vitamin D too.
  • A great way to eat a bunch of high-calcium foods all in one shot is to make a big salad with leafy greens, your favorite raw fermented cheese, almonds and a sesame tahini dressing.
  • Beans, greens and sweet potatoes are all sources of calcium, so consider making a big batch of soup (such as in your crockpot) that includes these foods and plenty of your favorite herbs and spices.
  • Whip up a smoothie using fermented yogurt, almond butter and berries or your favorite fruit (bonus if you can squeeze in some spinach or greens).
  • Remember that magnesium is key to calcium absorption, since these two minerals have a close working relationship. If you have a calcium deficiency or imbalance, then you are more likely to have a magnesium deficiency and vice versa (magnesium deficiency can often be a precursor to calcium imbalance). To utilize calcium properly, make sure to eat foods high in magnesium regularly — like leafy greens, cocoa, avocado and bananas (notice how many of these foods also provide calcium).

You’ll get the most benefit from calcium if you avoid foods that cause inflammation, take a toll on gut health and interfere with nutrient absorption. Inflammatory foods to avoid include those with added sugar, processed grains, refined vegetable oils and synthetic ingredients.

Do Calcium Supplements Really Work?

What kind of calcium should you take if you’re worried about being calcium-deficient? Research suggests that supplements are not ideal for getting more calcium because there may be potential negative effects of calcium supplements — especially when taken in high doses and when someone is not getting enough vitamin D, magnesium and other key nutrients.

A 2015 study published in the Journal of Internal Medicine states, “Most studies show little evidence of a relationship between calcium intake and bone density, or the rate of bone loss … calcium supplements appear to have a negative risk-benefit effect, and so should not be used routinely in the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis.” (13) There may also be a link between high levels of calcium (mostly from supplements) and hardening/stiffening of the arteries, which can lead to heart disease. (14) Very high levels of calcium can also interact with drugs intended to treat heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy and other conditions, plus contribute to kidney stones. For those reasons, most experts now agree that the ideal way to get calcium is from a healthy diet that includes various sources of calcium.

If you are going to take a calcium supplement, what brand of calcium supplement is best? The two most popular types of calcium supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. (15) If you are going to take calcium supplements, aim to only take about 500 milligrams at one time, since your body cannot absorb much more than this at once. If you need a larger dose, plan to split up doses throughout the day. Calcium is best absorbed when taken with food (and remember to make sure you’re not deficient in vitamin D or vitamin K!).

Calcium Foods Recipes

Below are healthy, simple recipe ideas that include one or more foods high in calcium, including calcium-fortified breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options:

Concerns with Calcium

There has been a lot of controversy surrounding how much calcium people really should acquire in recent years, especially when it comes to the potential negative effects of calcium supplements. While different experts have differing opinions in terms of calcium supplementation, what most agree on is that getting calcium from a healthy diet should be your first priority.

The body absorbs calcium from food sources better than it does from supplements and it’s much less likely that you’d reach very high, harmful levels of calcium from food sources alone.

More research is still needed, but some researchers have become concerned in recent years that there may be a link between high levels of calcium (mostly from supplements) and heart disease. (36, 37) There’s potential for calcium to form fatty plaque build-up in arteries and to add to hardening and stiffening of arteries, which is a dangerous heart condition called atherosclerosis.

This can potentially lead to heart attacks or strokes, but again nothing is definitive at this point since studies have showed mixed results. Other controversies surrounding calcium are related to potential risks for cancer, including breast and prostate cancer. (38)

Studies investigating cancer and calcium have also been mixed, with some showing negative correlations, some showing positive correlations, and some showing that calcium has no effect on cancer rates. Because much is still unknown, it’s not recommended that most people take calcium supplements regularly, especially not high doses, without talking to a doctor first to weigh the pros and cons.

Although you need plenty of vitamin D when taking calcium, at the same time, there is too much of a good thing. Calcium and vitamin D taken in very high amounts can be problematic since vitamin D increases the effects of calcium.

Like with all nutrients, it’s never a good idea to obtain much more than you really need. In this case, very high levels of calcium can interact with drugs intended to treat heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, and other conditions. Calcium can also increase risk for kidney stones when taken in high amounts and can interfere with the absorption of other important minerals, like iron, magnesium and zinc.

Potential Dangers of Calcium Supplements

If you get enough calcium from healthy foods that you eat, which also have plenty of other nutrients to provide, then you won’t need to take a supplement. Always try to aim to get the recommended daily amount of calcium you need from foods first and supplement only if needed to make up for any serious shortfall.

Real food sources of calcium come perfectly packaged with all the enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and other nutrients that the body needs to properly digest and absorb these vital nutrients.

When we take supplements on the other hand, we are often missing the complex system of key ingredients found in real foods — plus we may be consuming low quality, synthetic, and harmful filler ingredients that the body doesn’t recognize or respond well to.

Taking more calcium than you actually need is not beneficial and will actually likely do harm. Very high levels of calcium can cause symptoms including nausea, bloating, constipation (especially calcium carbonate), dry mouth, abdominal pain, irregular heartbeat, confusion, kidney stones, and even death.

If you do speak to a professional about taking calcium supplements, make sure to discuss the possible pros and cons. If your doctor agrees that you should be taking supplements to avoid a serious problem, there are several kinds of calcium supplements available, each that has it s own type of calcium compound as the active ingredient. Some of the common calcium supplements include: (39)

  • Calcium carbonate (40% elemental calcium)
  • Calcium citrate (21% elemental calcium)
  • Calcium gluconate (9% elemental calcium)
  • Calcium lactate (13% elemental calcium)

The two most popular types of calcium supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. (40) If you are going to take calcium supplements, aim to only take about 500 milligrams at one time, since your body cannot absorb much more than this at once. If you need a larger dose, plan to split up doses throughout the day.

Calcium is usually better absorbed when taken with food. Also keep in mind that you must obtain enough vitamin D and magnesium to use the calcium that you take, so it’s most beneficial to find a high-quality, food-based supplement that includes these essential nutrients as well.

Final Thoughts

  • Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, mostly stored in the bones and teeth. Calcium’s functions include building bones, helping with nerve signaling and balancing other minerals.
  • In general, calcium is found in the highest amounts in raw dairy products and green vegetables. Some of the top foods high in calcium include raw milk, yogurt, kefir, fermented cheeses, kale, sardines, broccoli, beans and almonds.
  • Benefits of eating calcium-rich foods include protection against osteoporosis, bone loss, tooth decay, heart disease, diabetes and weight gain.
  • It’s best to get calcium from calcium-rich foods rather than supplements. Supplements may be beneficial in some cases, but overall have not been shown to offer as much protection as a balanced, healthy diet.

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