Calcium and Vitamin D
Handout File:
Calcium and Vitamin D
Calcium has many jobs in your body: it helps muscles contract (including your heart!), helps blood clot, sends nerve messages, and keeps bones strong. In fact, 99% of the calcium in your body is in your bones and teeth. You must eat calcium every day; otherwise your body will take it from your bones. Over time, this will cause you to have fragile bones that break easily.
Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones lose calcium and become weak. People with osteoporosis have a higher risk of fractures, developing kyphosis (i.e., a “hump back”), and losing height. Some people are at higher risk for osteoporosis.
Factors you cannot control:
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Factors you can control:
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Recommended Calcium Intake
How much calcium you need depends mainly on your age and gender. If you are keeping track of your calcium intake, don’t forget to count food sources and calcium in supplements.
Calcium Content of Foods
Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich in calcium and also tend to be the best absorbed sources. There are also some good non-dairy sources.
Food |
Serving Size |
Calcium Content* (mg) |
Plain yogurt (NOT Greek) |
1 cup |
400 |
Calcium fortified orange juice |
1 cup |
350 |
Milk |
1 cup |
300 |
String cheese |
1 stick |
200 |
Feta cheese, crumbled |
¼ cup |
185 |
Kidney beans |
½ cup |
180 |
Collard greens (cooked) |
½ cup |
175 |
Low fat cottage cheese |
1 cup |
150 |
Spinach (cooked) |
½ cup |
120 |
Frozen yogurt |
½ cup |
105 |
Turnip greens (cooked) |
½ cup |
100 |
Edamame |
1 cup |
70 |
Broccoli spears (cooked) |
½ cup |
45 |
Soy milk** |
1 cup |
Up to 350; varies widely by brand |
Fortified cereals |
1 serving |
Up to 1000; varies widely by brand |
*Calcium content of foods may vary; read labels to determine the actual calcium content of a certain food.
** The nutrient content of soy milk varies greatly depending on the manufacturing process and whether the product is fortified.
You cannot absorb the calcium you eat without enough vitamin D. Vitamin D is called “the sunshine vitamin” because under some conditions, your body can make enough of it if you expose your skin to the sun. However, this depends on the time of the year, where you live, your skin color, and if you are wearing sunscreen. Many people don’t spend enough time with their skin exposed to the sun to get enough vitamin D.
Vitamin D is also found in a few foods: mainly dairy products that have been fortified, egg yolks, and fatty fish like salmon and herring. Many foods are now fortified with calcium and vitamin D, too. Breakfast cereals, orange juice, breakfast bars, soy milk, tofu, and even some margarine now contain added calcium or calcium plus vitamin D.
If you don’t eat enough vitamin D foods and if you do not get enough sunlight exposure, you may need a vitamin D supplement. Ask your doctor and/or Registered Dietitian.
Recommended Vitamin D Intake
Age group |
|
Vitamin D (IU) |
Infants (up to 12 months) |
|
400 |
Children & adults ages 1-70 |
|
600 |
Adults over age 70 |
|
800 |
Select Food Sources of Vitamin D
Food |
Serving size |
Vitamin D (IU) |
Salmon, pink, canned (without skin & bones) |
3 oz |
480 |
Fortified milk (skim, low fat, whole, or soy) |
1 cup |
100-120 |
Fortified breakfast cereals (check labels) |
1 oz |
40-50 |
Egg with yolk |
1 large |
40 |
Cheddar cheese |
1 oz |
7 |
Some people may benefit from higher doses of calcium and vitamin D. Ask your physician and/or Registered Dietitian about how much you should be getting:
- If you are a post-menopausal woman
- If you have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), celiac disease, gastric bypass, or nutrient malabsorption
- If you are taking corticosteroid or certain antibiotic medications (“steroids”)
You may also want to ask your doctor whether you need a bone density study if you have any of these conditions.
Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements
If you are unable to get enough calcium through diet alone, calcium supplements are available. The most common types of calcium supplements are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium carbonate is more commonly available and less expensive. Calcium is best absorbed in doses of 500 mg or less and when taken with meals. If you need to take more than 500 mg per day, consider taking several smaller doses throughout the day.
Because they work together, many calcium supplements come with some vitamin D. Vitamin D also commonly comes in multivitamin supplements as well as alone in higher doses. Ask your doctor or Registered Dietitian before starting a vitamin D supplement because it is possible to take too much – very high levels may be toxic.
Commonly Available Combined Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements
Type of Calcium |
Calcium (mg) |
Vitamin D (IU) |
Calcium Carbonate |
|
|
Tums® |
200 |
0 |
Extra Strength Tums® |
300 |
0 |
Tums® Ultra |
400 |
0 |
Oscal® Calcium + D3 |
500 |
200 |
Oscal® Extra + D31 |
500 |
600 |
Oscal® Ultra®2 |
600 |
500 |
Citracal Calcium Pearls |
200 |
500 |
Caltrate® 600 + D3 |
600 |
800 |
Caltrate® 600 + D3 Plus Minerals1,2 |
600 |
800 |
Viactiv®2 |
500 |
500 |
Calcium Citrate |
|
|
Citracal® regular |
250 |
200 |
Citracal® Maximum |
315 |
250 |
Citracal® Petites with Vitamin D |
200 |
250 |
Citracal® Plus Magnesium2 |
250 |
125 |
1Available in chewable form.
2Contains additional vitamins &/or minerals; also, Viactiv® contains 20 calories per piece.
Additional Resources
For more information on Calcium and Vitamin D, see the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the National Institute of Health websites: www.nof.org and www.nih.gov/