Main content Osteoporosis: Taking Calcium and Vitamin D

Osteoporosis: Taking Calcium and Vitamin D

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. But 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 Reference osteoporosis Opens New Window by eating a diet rich in Reference calcium Opens New Window and Reference vitamin D Opens New Window.
Getting enough calcium and vitamin D is especially critical for women in the first few years after Reference menopause Opens New Window, when bone mass is lost more rapidly.
If you do not get enough calcium and vitamin D from the foods you eat, change your diet and/or take calcium and vitamin D supplements. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium.
If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, it's important to get enough calcium and vitamin D and take prescribed medicine for the disease.
Calcium is found in many foods, including dairy products such as milk, cheese, or yogurt, fortified orange juice, and many vegetables.

What are the recommended daily amounts of calcium and vitamin D? Displays new content

**Recommended calcium and vitamin D by age** ^{Reference 1,} ^{Reference 2}
Age	Recommended calcium intake (milligrams a day)	Recommended vitamin D intake (international units a day)
1–3 years	700	600
4–8 years	1,000	600
9–18 years	1,300	600
19–50 years	1,000	600
Males 51–70 years	1,000	600
Females 51–70 years	1,200	600
71 and older	1,200	800

Why are calcium and vitamin D used to treat or prevent osteoporosis? Displays new content

How can I get enough calcium and vitamin D in my daily diet? Displays new content

Many foods contain high amounts of calcium. It is important that you also get enough vitamin D along with calcium to help your body absorb the calcium.

Calcium is in foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. Vegetables like broccoli, kale, and Chinese cabbage have calcium. You can get calcium if you eat the soft edible bones in canned sardines and canned salmon. Foods with added (fortified) calcium include some cereals, juices, soy drinks, and tofu. The food label will show how much calcium was added.

Vitamin D is in foods such as salmon, tuna, and mackerel. These are some of the best foods to eat when trying to get more vitamin D. Other foods with vitamin D, but in small amounts, include cheese, egg yolks, and beef liver. You can also get vitamin D from fortified foods such as milk and some cereals, orange juices, yogurts, margarines, and soy drinks.

For example, a good source of calcium is fat-free milk fortified with vitamin D. Four cups a day provide about 1,200 mg of calcium. Other good sources of calcium include shrimp, blackstrap molasses, calcium-fortified tofu, and almonds.

Everyone who has been diagnosed with osteoporosis should try to eat a diet rich in these nutrients. People who do not get enough calcium from their diet may need to take a Reference calcium supplement Opens New Window with vitamin D.

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.

You can get calcium supplements at most grocery stores and pharmacies. They come in tablets, chewables, and capsules. Not all supplements contain the same amount of calcium or contain vitamin D, so read the label to see which one is best for you.

Consider how much calcium and vitamin D you normally get in your diet. Then each day take the number of tablets that satisfies your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D based on your age and health condition. Be careful not to take more than you need.

Test Your Knowledge

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

True

This answer is incorrect.

Drinking milk fortified with vitamin D can be a great way to get calcium. But you would have to drink 3 to 4 cups a day to get the recommended 1,000 mg of calcium a day. You may need to add additional foods such as a cup of yogurt or some salmon to get the recommended daily amount for your age.
False

This answer is correct.

Drinking milk fortified with vitamin D can be a great way to get calcium. But you would have to drink 3 to 4 cups a day to get the recommended 1,000 mg of calcium a day. You may need to add additional foods such as a cup of yogurt or some salmon to get the recommended daily amount for your age.

I am a woman older than 65, and I 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.

True

This answer is correct.

Taking 1,200 mg of calcium supplements combined with 600 IU of vitamin D a day can provide all the daily calcium you need. You may also want to consider supplementing your daily diet with other foods rich in calcium so your body can absorb small amounts of calcium throughout each day.
False

This answer is incorrect.

Taking 1,200 mg of calcium supplements combined with 600 IU of vitamin D a day can provide all the daily calcium you need. You may also want to consider supplementing your daily diet with other foods rich in calcium so your body can absorb small amounts of calcium throughout each day.

Where to go from here Displays new content

Talk with your doctor

If you have questions about this information, take it with you when you visit your doctor. You may want to use a highlighting pen to mark areas or make notes in the margins of the pages where you have questions.

Return to topic:

Reference Osteoporosis

By:	Reference Healthwise Staff	Last Revised: November 6, 2012
Medical Review:	Reference Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Reference Carla J. Herman, MD, MPH - Geriatric Medicine

This information does not replace the advice of a doctor. Healthwise, Incorporated disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. Your use of this information means that you agree to the Reference Terms of Use. Reference How this information was developed to help you make better health decisions.