I know the obvious answer is it all depends on how much calcium you get from food alone. But I read an article on a health news site that states calcium supplements may not really make much of a difference and they can also cause build-up of excess calcium over time that can cause the formation of gallstones and the like.

So I was wanting to get other opinions on the use of calcium supplements.

Thanks

If you are getting them in with the Vitamin D requirement they are not bad. You need only 1,000 (1,500 mg if a teen or over 50) mg of calcium a day so if you are getting in enough in your diet no they aren't necessary. If you don't then yes they are.

The excess calcium is if you are extremely overdoing it in most cases.

I don't take a supplement anymore but I also ensure I get in 2 full dairy servings a day.

The best way is always natural and the supplements are there for the 'in case' you don't.

Mine are the Caltrate 600+D.

I get SOME calcium from my diet, but not the RDA.

Likewise. Being over 50 I aim for the 1,500. I take one viactiv + D, about 600 mg and try to get the other two from food. Happens well most days.

Thanks for the responses

Oh, oops, another question - would calcium chews be better than the hard pills?

I keep an eye on my calcium in nutridiary. I try to get it from my food, and do most days. When I haven't, I pop a viactiv (I like the caramel ones!). In fact, I just ate one!

I have no idea which kind are better, but I like the taste of the chews and sort of see them as a little treat! (how times have changed...)

Yeah, I was thinking of getting the chews and only eating them, like you, on days I don't get enough calcium from food rather than taking a pill every single day. Because I keep track of my calcium intake on fitday. Some days I get over 1000 mg, some days I don't even hit 300-400. But on the days I get over 1000, plus I take the pill, I'm getting more than I really need.

What IS the recommended daily allowance for calcium, anyway? Fitday has it at 1000 mg.

Ooooo, I found Viactiv in french vanilla flavor.

I think I'll buy those and just take them on days I don't get enough calcium from food. They're 500 mg.

The problem with supplements of any type, not just calcium, is that our bodies don't always absorb all that we give them- you could be taking 1200mg, but if your body only absorbs 300mg of it, you come up short. With calcium, you also have to look at the type of calcium- carbonate or citrate. Calcium carbonate is cheaper but doesn't absorb as easily, citrate is a little more expensive, but studies show our bodies absorb more of it. I figure if I'm going to take something, I want it to actually help & not get flushed down the toilet

Its also a good idea to spread the amount out through out the day- the body can only absorb so much at one time. I like the vitamin packets I use now because both the daily vitamin & the calcium are in 2 seperate tablets (4 tablets total), so I take a vitamin & calcium in the morning & the other 2 in the evening. At my doctors instruction, I also take an additional calcium supplement- but that's because I have a GI problem that interfers with the amount I can absorb so they would rather I take too much then not enough.

I have a hard time getting my calicum too. Thanks for all your chatter, I am going to look into some of these calicum suppliments.

Thanks for that info, Christine. I knew it helped to break up the calcium throughout the day, but not about the absorption. Man, is there a lot to learn or not??!