Osteoporosis: Taking calcium

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 some foods that contain calcium.

Examples of foods that contain calcium ¹

Food	Serving size	Calcium (mg) per serving
Yogurt (plain, low-fat)	8 oz	415
Yogurt (fruit, low-fat)	8 oz	245–384
Sardines in oil, with bones	3 oz	324
Cheddar cheese	1 1/2 oz	306
Milk (skim, 2%, whole)	1 cup	291–302
Tofu (firm, made with calcium sulfate)	1/2 cup	204
Canned salmon (with bones)	3 oz	181
Cottage cheese (1% milk fat)	1 cup	138
Turnip greens (boiled)	1/2 cup	99
Ice cream (vanilla)	1/2 cup	85
Broccoli (raw)	1/2 cup	21

The best source of calcium is milk fortified with vitamin D. Four glasses a day provide about 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 ⁴

Product name	Calcium in each tablet
Caltrate (tablets or chewables)	600 mg calcium carbonate
Citracal Ultradense Plus D, Coated Caplets	315 mg calcium citrate
Oscal 500	500 mg calcium carbonate
Viactiv Soft Calcium Chews plus D	500 mg calcium carbonate

Each day take the number of tablets that satisfies your daily recommended amount of calcium based on your age and health condition. You should not get more than 2,500 mg a day of calcium, whether it is from supplements or food. Calcium supplements with vitamin D may slightly increase your risk of kidney stones.⁵

Test Your Knowledge

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

1. True
2. False

2. 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.

1. True
2. False

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Author:	Shannon Erstad, MBA/MPH	Last Updated: November 21, 2008
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Kirtly Jones, MD - Obstetrics and Gynecology
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