Calcium is a mineral found in your body that helps you build strong and healthy bones. However, many adults do not consume the recommended servings of calcium per day. Without enough calcium in your diet, you are at risk for developing weak bones and conditions, such as osteoporosis, that increase the likelihood you will experience painful bone fractures. Knowing how much calcium you need in your daily diet can help you prevent this.
Women
Because women are more susceptible to osteoporosis, they often need to consume more calcium. For example, women ages 19 to 50 need 1,000 mg of calcium per day, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Women ages 50 and older have a greater calcium requirement, which is about 1,200 mg per day. This is because women tend to lose more calcium from their bones around the time of menopause.
Men
Men’s calcium needs do not increase until they reach age 70. From ages 19 to 70, men need 1.000 mg of calcium, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Men older than age 70 need 1,200 mg per day.
Upper Intake Levels
While you should consume enough calcium in your daily diet, eating or taking too much calcium can cause harmful side effects. If you have too much calcium in your blood, your tissues can become calcified, which means that calcium takes the place of healthy tissue and makes your tissues less flexible. Also, increased levels of calcium can contribute to kidney stones and high calcium levels in your urine. For adult men and women ages 19 to 50, consuming more than 2,500 mg of calcium from foods and supplements can be harmful, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Adults older than 51 years old should not consume more than 2,000 mg of calcium per day. However, taking excess calcium via your daily diet is rare. You are more likely to exceed your recommended intake if you take calcium supplements. For this reason, you should only take calcium supplements if you do not get enough calcium in your daily diet.
Food Sources
While you may associate calcium solely with dairy products, calcium is found in many foods. If you were to consume an 8 oz. glass of nonfat milk, 1.5 oz. of cheddar cheese, a half-cup of spinach and a 6 oz. glass of calcium-fortified glass of orange juice all in one day, you would exceed 1,000 mg of calcium for your adult daily needs. If you are lactose intolerant and cannot eat dairy, you can get calcium from fortified food sources, soybeans, spinach and salmon.
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