Multivitamins may help to replace nutrients you are missing in your diet, and calcium supplements are beneficial for people who don't get enough dietary calcium. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not regulate dietary supplements for quality, so supplements may not always contain the amounts listed on the label. Talk to your doctor before buying calcium or multivitamin supplements.
Multivitamins
Multivitamins can be a form of dietary insurance, according to Harvard Medical School, because you may not be eating a healthy diet all the time. However, they may not offer any benefits beyond that. Multivitamin supplements may help lower the risk of cancer in people who are malnourished, but according to Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, they don't appear to decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and other chronic diseases in people with average diets.
Calcium
Your body has more calcium than any other dietary mineral. You need calcium for normal blood clotting; contraction and dilation of blood vessels; muscle and nerve function; hormonal activity; and signaling between cells. Your body stores extra calcium in your bones and teeth, which keeps them strong. Calcium is in dairy products, green leafy vegetables, nuts, bony fish like salmon and fortified foods.
Recommended Intake
The Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine determines the recommended intakes for calcium and other nutrients. The Recommended Dietary Allowance for calcium is 1,000 mg per day for teens; 1,000 mg for men to age 70 and women to age 50; and 1,200 mg for females over the age of 50 and males over the age of 70. A calcium deficiency may increase your risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis.
Calcium Supplements
Calcium carbonate and calcium citrate are the two main forms of calcium in dietary supplements, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium carbonate is less expensive, but people with low levels of stomach acid may need to take calcium citrate. Other forms include gluconate, lactate and phosphate. Calcium supplements can cause constipation, may increase your risk of kidney stones or may interfere with certain medications. Speak to your doctor before taking calcium supplements.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements; Calcium; June 2011
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health; Little Evidence Multivitamins Prevent Chronic Disease; May 2006
- Institute of Medicine; DRIs for Calcium and Vitamin D; November 2010
- Harvard Medical School Family Health Guide: Multivitamins: Should You Buy This Insurance?
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