Calcium is the most abundant nutrient in the body. It is critical for many functions in the body, such as muscle contraction, the contraction and dilation of blood vessels, secretion of hormones and enzymes and the transmission of nerve impulses. Calcium is also essential in maintaining bone health. The recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000mg for an adult aged 19 to 50 and 1,200mg for those over 50. Calcium is available from several sources.
Food
Dairy products are the primary food source of calcium. Foods like yogurt, milk and cheese contain large amounts of calcium per serving. One 8 oz serving of plain non-fat yogurt tops the U.S. Department of Agriculture list with 452mg of calcium. It is closely followed by Romano and Swiss cheese, with 452mg and 438 mg, respectively. Non-fat milk yields 302mg of calcium per 8 oz serving, which is higher than milk with any fat content due to the relationship of calcium and fat. The more fat there is in a food, the less calcium it contains. Green leafy vegetables are good sources of calcium as well, with collard greens leading the pack with 178mg of calcium per ½ cup cooked serving. Fortified whole grains are also good sources of calcium, the most prevalent of these being fortified breakfast cereals that range from 230mg to 1.043mg per serving, depending on the particular cereal.
Dietary Supplements
According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the two main forms of calcium in dietary supplements are citrate and carbonate. Calcium carbonate is the most common and least expensive of these two. They are equally well-absorbed, unless an individual has reduced levels of stomach acid, whereas the calcium citrate is better absorbed. Each of these forms of supplemental calcium contains a different amount of elemental calcium by weight. Calcium carbonate is 40 percent elemental calcium by weight and calcium citrate is 21 percent elemental calcium by weight. The amount of calcium absorbed into the body depends on the total amount of elemental calcium ingested.
Medicines
Calcium carbonate is found in many over the counter antacids. This is due to its ability to neutralize stomach acid. Depending on the strength of the antacid, the calcium carbonate concentration can range from 200mg to 400mg per pill.
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