Should I Take Calcium Pills?

Calcium is an essential mineral required by your body to function properly. The depletion of calcium in your body can have harmful consequences including bone loss or degeneration. Sometimes you might find it difficult to obtain sufficient levels of calcium from the foods you eat due to diet restrictions or allergies. Additionally, as you age, your body requires more calcium, making it potentially difficult to get sufficient levels of calcium for your body solely from diet. You can, however, supplement your body's calcium requirements by taking calcium pill supplements.

Taking Calcium

There is no medically recognized correct age to start taking calcium supplements. It is possible for you to get enough calcium through your regular diet at any point in your life. You need to consider how much calcium doctors recommend for your current age and then determine if you get this recommended amount through diet. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, adults under 50 require 1,000 mg of calcium per day and adults over 50 require 1,200 mg of calcium per day.

Supplements

According to the "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine," ideally you should take calcium supplement pills in either 500 and 600 mg tablets. You can also purchase 1,000 mg calcium pills. However, your body can not absorb this much calcium at one time. Therefore, it is wasteful to consume calcium pills higher than 600 mg. The calcium available in pill form is either calcium citrate or calcium carbonate. You should also take calcium supplements that contain vitamin D. Vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium in the supplement. According to the "Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine," you should take at least 400 iu of vitamin D for every 600 mg of calcium.

Food Sources

Dairy products contain the highest concentration of calcium. You body can typically absorb dairy products easily and use the calcium from the dairy products efficiently. Dairy is, therefore, considered an excellent food source of calcium. Additionally, some vegetables, fruit juices and fish contain calcium. Further, some manufacturers fortify foods such as bread and breakfast cereal with calcium. It is possible to get sufficient calcium from the foods you eat. However, you may find it difficult to accurately ascertain the exact amount of calcium in certain food products you consume.

Supplement Side Effects

Your body can have an adverse reaction to excessive calcium levels. Hypercalcemia is a rare condition that occurs when you have dangerous levels of calcium in your blood. Too much calcium can also cause nausea, confusion and neurological symptoms. Other minor side effects associated with calcium intake include constipation, acid reflux and adverse reactions with certain types of antibiotics. If you experience any side effect from calcium supplementation, immediately discontinue use and consult a medical professional.