Food & Nutrient--Vitamin D and Calcium

Vitamin D and Calcium

In general, both men and women need about 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day. Women should up their intake to 1,200 mg at about 51 years old. This is because bone breakdown in postmenopausal women is greater than the amount of bone formation. Men should up their intake to 1,200 mg at about 71 years old (ref1).

Vitamin D helps body to absorb calcium. So to help the body to absorb supplemental calcium, it is best to take vitamin D with it.

Human body can make Vitamin D, but not A, B & C, which has to come from food or food supplements.

List of Calcium Supplements:

List	Pros	Cons
Calcium Carbonate	Most cost effective	Need to taken properly with a meal for good absorption
	Highest amount of elemental calcium (40%), i.e., 500 mg pill contains 200 mg of calcium	May cause gas or constipation
Calcium Citrate	Most easily absorbed	Most expensive
	Does not cause gas or constipation	Lower amount of elemental calcium (20%). i.e., 500 mg pill contains 100 mg of calcium
Calcium Phosphate	Well absorbed	Higher cost than calcium carbonate
	Does not cause gas or constipation
	High amount of elemental calcium (39%)

An conclusion might be made from the table that Calcium Phosphate is the best calcium supplier, since adequate phosphate is needed for bone health (ref1). However, study has shown that excess phosphate might result in osteoporosis and problems with kidney function (ref1 and ref2). Keep in mind, most people get enough phosphorus in the average American diet.

Foods which are excellent sources of calcium: Milk, Tofu, Seaweed, Potato, Spinach, Beans, Chinese Cabbage, fish with bone, Sesame seeds.

ref1: https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/should-you-take-calcium-phosphate#dosage
ref1: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5266683/