Calcium and magnesium are two of the most abundant minerals in the body and both are essential for health. The body uses them to keep bones and teeth health, and to keep various organ systems working properly. Along with phosphorus and vitamins D and K, the body needs magnesium to properly absorb calcium. You can find calcium and magnesium as stand-alone supplements or combined in one supplement.
Calcium and Magnesium
The best sources of calcium and magnesium are foods. Calcium-rich foods include dairy products, Chinese cabbage, broccoli, soft-boned fish, grains and fortified foods. Magnesium can be found in many fiber-rich foods such as legumes, nuts, whole grains and green leafy vegetables. Deficiencies in calcium and magnesium are not common, but many people do not get the adequate amount from their diet, notes the National Institutes of Health/Office of Dietary Supplements or NIH/ODS. Taking a multivitamin or supplement may help if you can not get the recommended amount from your diet or if you suffer from a deficiency.
Calcium Supplement
As a supplement, calcium is available as calcium citrate or calcium carbonate. The body absorbs calcium citrate better than calcium carbonate. The former is more expensive but can be taken without food. The recommended total calcium intake is 1,000 mg/day for men and women ages 19 to 50 and 1,200 mg/day for those 71 years and older. Take calcium supplements in 500-mg doses throughout the day to prevent constipation, recommends the NIH/ODS. Further, do not take more than 2,500 mg per day of calcium from supplement and food, as side effects such as constipation, stomach upset, nausea, vomiting may occur.
Magnesium Supplement
Magnesium is available in easily-absorbed forms as magnesium citrate, magnesium gluconate and magnesium lactate. The University of Maryland Medical Center recommends taking magnesium with vitamin B complex to help absorb it better. The recommended intake of magnesium, from food and supplements, is 280 to 300 mg/day for teens and adult females and 270 to 400 mg/day for teens and adult males. Magnesium interacts with certain medications so ask your doctor before taking any dietary supplements.
Calcium and Magnesium Combined
Because magnesium is necessary for the absorption of calcium, some manufacturers combine them in one supplement, sometimes in ratios of 2-to-1 or 3-to-1 magnesium/calcium. No credible evidence, however, exists to support this claim, according to MedlinePlus, which further states that magnesium should be taken as supplement only in cases of deficiency. Instead, get the daily recommended amounts through a healthy diet and add multivitamins as needed.
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