Roll Call

“Calcium?”Here!

Mineral

Appears in 1 scanned product.

As a supplement

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

Roll Call does not check drug interactions or assess personal safety.

A mineral naturally found in bones, teeth, and many foods, and added to supplements as a compound such as calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.

Why it’s used

Taken to support bone and teeth structure, and to help meet daily intake when diet falls short.

What the evidence is for

supporting bone mineralization and preventing deficiency.

What the evidence says

NIH ODS describes calcium's role in bone mineralization and other body functions as well established, particularly in preventing deficiency and supporting bone density in people with low dietary intake. Evidence for extra benefit from supplementation above adequate intake, in people already getting enough, is much weaker.

Dose studied

1000–2500 mg — RDA for adults up to the tolerable upper intake level, per NIH ODS.

Context

Research on calcium and bone outcomes generally looks at total intake from food plus supplements, not supplements alone, and effects are most consistently seen in people with low baseline intake.

Rumors

  1. Preventing the bone loss of calcium deficiency — reduced bone strength and osteoporosis in adults, and rickets in children.

    Supports — establishedhealth and safety evidence

    Measured as a biomarker.

How much is a reference amount

  • 1,000 mg a dayfor adults 19–50 · Recommended Dietary Allowance

    Upper limit 2,500 mg a day, from food and supplements together.

  • 1,200 mg a dayfor adults 51–70, women · Recommended Dietary Allowance

    Upper limit 2,000 mg a day, from food and supplements together.

  • 1,000 mg a dayfor adults 51–70, men · Recommended Dietary Allowance

    Upper limit 2,000 mg a day, from food and supplements together.

  • 1,200 mg a dayfor adults 71 and over · Recommended Dietary Allowance

    Upper limit 2,000 mg a day, from food and supplements together.

Both the RDA and the UL move with age, and only the 51–70 band differentiates by sex. The UL falls as the RDA rises.

Every applicable line is shown because we don’t know which one is yours, and a reference intake is a target for a population, not a threshold for harm.