As you age, you inevitably experience changes in your body, such as reduced bone mass. Severe bone loss however, characterizes osteoporosis, a condition that can significantly increase your risk of fracture. While it can strike both men and women, the latter comprise 80 percent of sufferers in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health. The mineral calcium plays a key role in maintaining bone health, and getting adequate amounts through diet and/or supplementation can help prevent this condition or slow its progression if you already have it. You should talk to your doctor before supplementing, as it might not be appropriate in certain instances.
Recommended Daily Calcium Intake
The Food and Nutrition Board guides governmental agencies on establishing recommendations regarding nutrition. It has set forth calcium recommendations to promote bone health and healthy levels of calcium in the body. Men and women aged 19 to 50 and men 50 to 70 should get at least 1,000 mg of calcium daily. Women 51 and over and men 71 and over should get at least 1,200 mg daily. This recommendation includes total calcium from both food and supplements. The National Osteoporosis Foundation says you should not exceed 2,500 mg of total calcium daily as this can lead to side effects like kidney stones.
Calcium Absorption and Vitamin D Levels
To optimize calcium absorption, you need adequate levels of vitamin D, which your body makes from sunlight and is in foods like fatty fish, eggs and fortified dairy products. If you have low levels of this vitamin, your body might not meet its calcium requirements even if you get the recommended amounts. The NOF recommends anyone under 50 get 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D daily while those over 50 should get between 800 and 1,000 IU daily. Talk to your doctor before taking a vitamin D supplement to determine if you actually require supplementation of this nutrient.
Supplementation Guidelines
Most calcium supplements contain either calcium citrate or calcium carbonate. The University of Maryland Medical Center says the body more readily absorbs calcium citrate, particularly in older individuals. Your body requires more stomach acid to absorb calcium carbonate, which could prove problematic in older people as they sometimes produce less stomach acid. The UMMC recommends taking this form with a glass of orange juice. You can take calcium citrate with or without food; you should take calcium carbonate with food for better absorption. The NOF states that older research suggested vitamin D-3 was superior to vitamin D-2 for promoting bone heath, but notes more research suggests they work equally well.
Dietary Sources of Calcium
Dairy products represent the richest sources of calcium -- one 8-oz. serving of yogurt gives you 42 percent of your daily requirements. Other rich sources include sardines, calcium-fortified orange juice, tofu, salmon, spinach and other leafy greens, and calcium-fortified cereals.
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