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Recommended Dietary Intake of Elemental Calcium |
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for Health Person |
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Sex and Age |
RDA |
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Upper Intake Level |
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mg/day |
mg/day |
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Female |
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19-50 yr* |
1000 |
2500 |
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>50 yr |
1200 |
2000 |
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Male |
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19-50 yr |
1000 |
2500 |
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>50-70 yr |
1000 |
2000 |
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>70yr |
1000 |
2000 |
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* This category includes women older than 19 of age |
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who are pregnant or lactating. |
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Well-Absorbed Dietary Source of Calcium |
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Type of food |
Serving Size |
Elemental Calcium Per Serving |
Calories Per Serving |
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Dairy Products |
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Plain Low-fat yougurt |
8.0 oz |
448 |
154 |
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Low-Fat yougurt with fruit |
8.0 oz |
384 |
238 |
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Mozzarella, part skim milk |
1.5 oz |
333 |
108 |
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Cheddar cheese |
1.5 oz |
307 |
171 |
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2% Low-fat milk |
1 cup |
293 |
122 |
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Low-fat cottage cheese |
1 cup |
206 |
194 |
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Fruits and Vegetables |
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Calcium-fortified Orange Juice |
6.0 oz |
261 |
88 |
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Raw kale |
1 cup |
100 |
33 |
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Raw bok choy |
1 cup |
74 |
9 |
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Raw broccoli |
1 cup |
43 |
31 |
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Canned Fish |
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Sardines |
3.0 oz |
325 |
177 |
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Pink Salmon |
3.0 oz |
183 |
110 |
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Grains |
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Fortified, ready-to-eat cereals |
1 cup |
100-1333 |
100-160 |
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Fortified, cooked oat cereals |
1 cup |
187 |
159 |
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Commercially prepared |
1 slice |
30-73 |
69-74 |
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white or wheat bread |
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Widley Available Calcium Supplements |
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Formulation |
Dose |
Element Calcium Content |
Comments |
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percent |
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Calcium Carbonate |
1 or 2, 500mg tablets taken orally 2-3 times daily with meals |
40 |
Least expensive and most commonly used supplement; should be taken with meals, since acidity improves absorption; can cause constipation. |
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Calcium Citrate |
1 or 2, 950mg or 1000mg tablets taken orally 2-3 time daily |
21 |
Less dependent on acidity for absorption, so it doesn’t need to be taken with meals; may be used with agents for long-term gastric acid suppression. |
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Calcium Gluconate |
500, 648, or 972 mg |
9 |
Rarley used for fracture prevention |
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Calcium Lactate |
300 or 325 mg |
13 |
Rarley used for fracture prevention |
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Bone meal, oyster shell, dolomite |
Varies |
30 |
Primarliy contains calcium carbonate but may contain detectable lead and should be avoided during pregnancy |