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However, says Mayo Clinic endocrinologist Dr. Robert Wermers, Americans aren't getting enough calcium in their diet. The median dietary intake in the U.S. for women age 50 or older is 589-649 mg per day and 728-777 per day for men.
For those 51 and older, the limit is 2,000 mg a day. Calcium and diet. Your body doesn't produce calcium, so you must get it through other sources. Calcium can be found in a variety of foods, including: Dairy products, such as cheese, milk and yogurt.
Like many women, you may have memorized the minimum daily calcium requirement — 1,000 milligrams (mg) a day for women ages 50 and younger and 1,200 mg for women over 50 — and followed it faithfully in an effort to preserve your bones. But outside the United States, the recommended calcium intake is much lower.
But, for the elderly, or people with osteoporosis or dietary issues, a daily calcium supplement might be necessary. "People who are lactose-free and dairy-free, and otherwise have restrictions, they may find themselves only getting 400 or 500 milligrams of calcium per day," says Dr. Kennel.
Calcium is an essential mineral that is the key to healthy bones and teeth. How much calcium you need per day depends on your age and sex assigned at birth.
1–3 years: 700 mg. 4–8 years: 1,000 mg. 9–18 years: 1,300 mg. 19–50 years: 1,000 mg. 51–70 years: 1,000 mg for men, 1,200 mg for women. 71 years and older: 1,200 mg. Inadequate calcium consumption causes osteopenia, or bone loss, which may result in osteoporosis, which is weak, brittle bones.
Total daily dose. It's best to take calcium in smaller doses. Smaller doses most often means 500 milligrams or less at a time. To take 1,000 mg of calcium a day, split it into two or more doses over the day. Other medicines. Calcium supplements and many prescription medicines do not mix well.