Online Orthopaedics - Calcium Supplement: Specific Recommendation

Calcium Supplement: Specific Recommendation

Calcium: Are you getting enough?

Teens and young adults

11-24 years:
1,200 - 1,500 milligrams

Adults

Women 25-50 years:
1,000 milligrams

Postmenopausal women on estrogen:
1,000 milligrams

Postmenopausal women not on estrogen:
1,500 milligrams

Pregnant/Lactating women:
1,200 milligrams

Men 25-50 years:
1,000 milligrams

Men and women 65 years and older:
1,500 milligrams

Citracal is a superior source of calcium as a supplement because it is in the form of calcium citrate, which is very easily absorbed and, because unlike calcium carbonate or oyster shell preparations, it does not produce the troublesome side effect of gas that these products produce.

Each Citracal tablet contains 200 mg. of calcium citrate. The recommended dose, therefore, would be two tablets or 400 mg. twice a day. This, combined with diet, would on a daily basis exceed the recommended daily intake of calcium. Each Citracal tablet costs approximately eight cents, therefore a person would be spending thirty-two cents per day to aid in the treatment or prevention of osteoporosis. We think this would be a good investment.

Citracal is also available in a preparation which includes a Vitamin D dietary supplement, if that is needed. The calcium preparation in this form of Citracal is also calcium citrate, to which 200 IU of Vitamin D has been added. In this preparation since each tablet contains 315 mg. of calcium citrate, 3 tablets per day would be more than adequate; for example 2 in the morning and one at night.