From a nutritional standpoint, calcium and vitamin D go together like peanut butter and jelly. That's because your body needs calcium-rich foods for optimal health, but can't absorb that calcium unless it also takes in vitamin D. Ask your doctor about a meal plan and lifestyle that encourages both of these nutrients. Your doctor may also suggest you supplement your diet with a combination calcium-vitamin D capsule.
The Partnership
Vitamin D's main role comes in helping your body absorb calcium from your diet, according to the Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Health Center. In turn, calcium promotes bone and tooth growth in children and helps keep bones and teeth strong during adulthood. Serious deficiencies in vitamin D and calcium result in childhood rickets and osteoporosis in adults. Muscle weakness, bone pain, tingling fingers and irregular heartbeats are also linked to low levels of the nutrients.
Recommended Amounts
Current recommended daily amounts set forth by the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements for vitamin D are 600 IUs for people between 1 and 70, and 800 IUs for people older than 71. Calcium RDAs have a bit more variability. Toddlers need 700 mg calcium each day, and children between 4 and 8 should have 1,000 mg. The RDA for preteens and teens is 1,300. Women between 19 and 50 and men between 19 and 70 have an RDA for calcium of 1,000 mg. Women older than 50 and men older than 70 need 1,200 mg calcium. Pregnancy and breast-feeding does not increase your need for calcium or vitamin D, as they do for some other nutrients, according to the NIH.
Dietary Sources
Some foods either naturally contain both calcium and vitamin D, or are fortified to provide both nutrients. Salmon has both vitamin D and calcium. Most of the naturally calcium-rich milk sold in the U.S. also has vitamin D added, notes the NIH. Look for brands of soy drinks, yogurt and margarine containing both nutrients. Additionally, some orange juice brands and cereals are fortified with both calcium and vitamin D. You may also achieve the beneficial partnership by combining a food high in vitamin D with another that is a good source of calcium. For example, consider using calcium-rich cheese in an omelet with mushrooms and egg yolks; each provides vitamin D.
Supplements
For some at-risk populations, including people who have trouble absorbing nutrients, the standard RDAs for calcium and vitamin D may be too low, notes the Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Health Center. If your doctor suggests you boost your intake of calcium and vitamin D through supplements, ask which form best fits your health needs. Supplements containing both calcium and vitamin D are available, as are capsules of the two individual nutrients. Multivitamins geared toward your age and gender may also offer both vitamin D and calcium. Some antacids supply calcium. If your doctor recommends a dose of calcium higher than 500 mg, split the dose into at least two daily portions so that you don't take in more than 500 mg calcium in one sitting, advises the NIH.
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