Calcium after 40: how much you need and where to get it

Why calcium matters

Calcium is a mineral, a kind of nutrient your body needs in small amounts. MedlinePlus (US) says the body keeps nearly all of its calcium in the bones and teeth, which helps them stay strong. Calcium also helps your muscles move and your nerves carry messages. [1]

MedlinePlus (US) says that too little calcium can cause health problems. One is osteoporosis, a disease in which bones grow weak and break more easily. ODPHP (US) says that in the United States, 4 in 20 women older than 65 have osteoporosis. For men, the figure is 1 in 20. [1] [2]

Menopause is when your periods have stopped for 12 months in a row. The Office on Women's Health (US) says bones keep getting less dense after menopause. That makes osteoporosis and broken bones more likely. MedlinePlus (US) adds that after menopause, the body takes in and keeps less calcium. [1] [3]

How much calcium you need

Amounts are given in milligrams (mg). MedlinePlus (US) and ODPHP (US) both list 1,000 mg of calcium a day for women aged 19 to 50. For women aged 51 and older, both list 1,200 mg a day. [1] [2]

MedlinePlus (US) also lists groups who may find it hard to get enough calcium. Besides women after menopause, these include Black and Asian people and adults age 50 and older who live in poverty. People who do not have milk or other dairy foods are on the list, too. [1]

Where to get calcium

MedlinePlus (US) says that for most people in the US, dairy foods are the main source of calcium. These include milk, yogurt, and cheese. MedlinePlus also names green vegetables such as broccoli, kale, and bok choi. ODPHP (US) adds collard greens, turnip greens, and soybeans. Canned sardines and salmon count too, because you can eat their soft bones. [1] [2]

Some foods have calcium added, such as tofu, soy and rice drinks, fruit juices, and breakfast cereals. ODPHP (US) explains that on the Nutrition Facts label, the Daily Value (DV) shows how much of a nutrient, like calcium, one serving has. It calls foods with at least 20% DV of calcium excellent choices. Those with 10% DV or more are good, too. [1] [2]

Vitamin D helps your body take in, or absorb, calcium. ODPHP (US) says time in the sun helps your body make vitamin D. You can also get it from fish such as salmon, tuna, and trout, and from milk or soy milk with vitamin D added. [2]

Food and supplements

ODPHP (US) says the best approach is to eat foods that have calcium each day. The Office on Women's Health (US) notes that many women fall short of calcium and vitamin D in their diet. ODPHP says a calcium supplement can be a multivitamin that includes calcium, or a pill with only calcium in it. [2] [4]