Calcium

Calcium is an essential mineral that can be found in foods such as: milk, cheese, yogurt, sardines, oranges, kale, pinto beans, and Chinese cabbage.¹ The 100% Daily Value for calcium (based on a 2000 kcal diet) is 1,000 mg,²but it has been revised to 1,300 mg as of May 27, 2016.¹⁵The 100% Daily Value for pregnant or lactating women is also 1,300 mg, effective as of January 1st, 2020.¹⁵

Forms

Calcium Ascorbate: (See Vitamin C)

Calcium Carbonate: Calcium carbonate is a bioavailable source of the essential mineral calcium, made from limestone by a process that includes the use of calcium chloride and sodium bicarbonate.

Calcium Citrate: Calcium citrate is a highly bioavailable source of the essential mineral calcium. It is prepared by combining calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide with citric acid, an organic acid.

Calcium Citrate Malate: Calcium citrate malate is a bioavailable source of calcium, an essential mineral. It is prepared by combining calcium carbonate or hydroxide with the organic acid citric acid and malic acid.

Calcium Lactate: Calcium lactate is a bioavailable source of the essential mineral, calcium, made by combining calcium carbonate or calcium hydroxide with the organic acid, lactic acid. Lactic acid is produced by the fermentation of simple carbohydrates found in sugar beets.

Calcium Pantothenate: (See Pantothenic Acid)

Dicalcium Phosphate: Dicalcium phosphate is a bioavailable form of the essential minerals, calcium, and phosphorus. It is produced by the reaction of phosphoric acid (made from acidified phosphate rock) and calcium oxide (made from natural limestone), or calcium hydroxide (made from natural limestone that has been hydrated with water). Dicalcium phosphate can serve as a natural means for binding tablet ingredients together.

Tricalcium Phosphate: Tricalcium phosphate is a bioavailable form of the essential minerals, calcium, and phosphorus. It is produced by combining phosphoric acid (made from acidified phosphate rock) and calcium oxide (made from natural limestone). Tricalcium phosphate can also aid the flow ability of powdered products.

Major Health Benefits

Calcium is necessary for the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth.³ Adequate intake of calcium is essential to achieve peak bone density.⁴Furthermore, adequate intake of calcium can help to prevent osteoporosis, a disorder in which bone mass and strength decrease.⁵

Calcium plays an important role in cell signaling, helping to induce normal muscle contraction and conduct of nerve impulses. Calcium also aids in normal blood clotting.⁶ Adequate consumption of calcium may decrease risk of hypertension.^7,8 Adequate consumption of calcium is important in pregnant women because calcium may prevent preeclampsia as well as circulation and intestinal absorption of lead in the mother and thus less exposure of lead to the fetus.^9,10 Vitamin D is required for calcium absorption.¹¹

Cautions

The Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) for calcium consumed in one day is 2,500 mg for adults under 50 years old and 2,000 mg for adults over 50 years old.¹²

Hypercalcemia, usually caused by a combination of excessive intake of calcium supplements and antacids, can cause symptoms such as: nausea, vomiting, constipation, fatigue, muscle weakness, and hyperparathyroidism.^13,14

References

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Food Sources) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium
US Food and Drug Administration. Guidance for Industry: A Food Labeling Guide (14. Appendix F: Calculate the Percent Daily Value for the Appropriate Nutrients). US Department of Health and Human Services. 2013 January. http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceRegulation/GuidanceDocumentsRegulatoryInformation/LabelingNutrition/ucm064928.htm
Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Function) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium
Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Summary) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium
Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Disease Prevention) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium
European Food Safety Authority. Scientific Opinion on Calcium Health Benefits. EFSA Journal 2009; 7(9): 1210. file:///C:/Users/spark/Downloads/%2528NDA%2529-2009-EFSA_Journal.pdf
Miller GD, DiRienzo DD, Reusser ME, McCarron DA. Benefits of dairy product consumption on blood pressure in humans: a summary of the biomedical literature. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Apr;19(2 Suppl):147S-164S. PMID: 10759140.
Conlin PR, Chow D, Miller ER 3rd, Svetkey LP, Lin PH, Harsha DW, Moore TJ, Sacks FM, Appel LJ. The effect of dietary patterns on blood pressure control in hypertensive patients: results from the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) trial. Am J Hypertens. 2000 Sep;13(9):949-55. PMID: 10981543.
Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Hypertensive Disorders During Pregnancy) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium
Ettinger AS, Lamadrid-Figueroa H, Téllez-Rojo MM, Mercado-García A, Peterson KE, Schwartz J, Hu H, Hernández-Avila M. Effect of calcium supplementation on blood lead levels in pregnancy: a randomized placebo-controlled trial. Environ Health Perspect. 2009 Jan;117(1):26-31. PMID: 19165383; PMCID: PMC2627861.
Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Nutrient Interactions) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium
Dietary Reference Intake for Calcium and Vitamin D. Institute of Medicine. November 2010. https://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Vitamin%20D%20and%20Calcium%202010%20Report%20Brief.pdf
Moe SM. Disorders Involving Calcium, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. Primary care. 2008;35(2):215-PMCID: PMC2486454 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2486454/
Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Safety) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium
US Food and Drug Administration. Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. US Department of Health and Human Services. Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 103, p. 33982 / May 27, 2016. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-05-27/pdf/2016-11867.pdf

Calcium

Calcium

Forms

Major Health Benefits

Cautions

References

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Food Sources) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Function) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Summary) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Disease Prevention) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium

European Food Safety Authority. Scientific Opinion on Calcium Health Benefits. EFSA Journal 2009; 7(9): 1210. file:///C:/Users/spark/Downloads/%2528NDA%2529-2009-EFSA_Journal.pdf

Miller GD, DiRienzo DD, Reusser ME, McCarron DA. Benefits of dairy product consumption on blood pressure in humans: a summary of the biomedical literature. J Am Coll Nutr. 2000 Apr;19(2 Suppl):147S-164S. PMID: 10759140.

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Hypertensive Disorders During Pregnancy) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Nutrient Interactions) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium

Dietary Reference Intake for Calcium and Vitamin D. Institute of Medicine. November 2010. https://www.iom.edu/~/media/Files/Report%20Files/2010/Dietary-Reference-Intakes-for-Calcium-and-Vitamin-D/Vitamin%20D%20and%20Calcium%202010%20Report%20Brief.pdf

Moe SM. Disorders Involving Calcium, Phosphorus, and Magnesium. Primary care. 2008;35(2):215-PMCID: PMC2486454 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2486454/

Higdon, J. Calcium. Linus Pauling Institute, Oregon State University. 2001. (Reviewed by Weaver, CM. in 2014) (Safety) https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/minerals/calcium

US Food and Drug Administration. Food Labeling: Revision of the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels. US Department of Health and Human Services. Federal Register / Vol. 81, No. 103, p. 33982 / May 27, 2016. https://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2016-05-27/pdf/2016-11867.pdf