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Calcium Supplements
For years, doctors have recommended that women take supplements of calcium plus vitamin D to help maintain bone density and reduce the risk for fractures. However, a 2006 New England Journal of Medicine study raised some questions about this approach. In the Women’s Health Initiative study, women were randomly assigned to receive either 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate plus 400 IU of vitamin D a day, or placebo. The results indicated that daily calcium and vitamin D supplements:
- Improve slightly (by 1%) hip bone density
- Prevent hip fracture, but only for women who consistently take the supplements. (Another 2006 study supported this finding.)
- Do not prevent spine or other types of fractures
- Produce a slight increase in the risk of kidney stones
The medical community has differing views on how to interpret these findings. Some doctors recommend that women over age 60 should still consider taking calcium and vitamin D for bone health. Other doctors feel that due to the risks of kidney stones, supplements are beneficial only for women (especially those over age 70) who do not get enough calcium in their diets. Ask your doctor whether you should take calcium supplements.
Appropriate Daily Doses. Evidence is unclear about the best dosage. In general the amount taken depends on age and risk factors:
- In young people, calcium intake should be 800 mg per day for children ages 3 - 8 and 1,300 mg per day for children and adolescents ages 9 - 17. Teenage girls who have a low intake of calcium in their diets should consider supplements, which can help build bone density during these critical years.
- The standard recommended dose for people over age 50 is about 1,200 mg per day, but may be higher or lower depending on risk factors. Even doses of 1,000 mg may help preserve bone in many postmenopausal women without osteoporosis, including during winter months (when bone loss is greatest). In women who have already experienced osteoporosis-related fractures, however, 1,000 mg daily may not add any protective benefits without bone-building medication.
- Some experts suggest that all pregnant women, adolescents, and those on corticosteroids take 1,000 - 1,300 mg of calcium every day.
- Breast-feeding women should have 2,000 mg per day.
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