Calcium supplements are used to increase the amount of calcium in your body. Having the right amount of calcium in your body is important for bone health and your heart, muscles and nerves also need calcium to function properly.
- Calcium supplements most commonly come as tablets, dissolvable tablets or capsules, often in combination with vitamin D or magnesium, but they also come as powders and liquids.
- They are available on prescription, or you can buy them without a prescription from pharmacies, health stores or on the internet.
Most people can get enough calcium by eating and drinking milk, cheese, yoghurt, bread, calcium-fortified soya milk, and some vegetables (spinach and watercress).
- Getting calcium from your diet is the best way to ensure you get enough calcium.
- Dairy products are the richest source of calcium and two to three serves per day, e.g. a cup of milk, a pottle of yoghurt or two slices of cheese is recommended. Read more about calcium.
Although getting calcium from your diet is preferred, sometimes when there is not enough calcium in your diet for your body's needs then taking calcium supplements may be necessary.
Calcium supplements are also recommended for some people taking other medicines for preventing or treating 'thinning' of the bones (osteoporosis).
Calcium tablets may also be used by people who have kidney problems. In some people with chronic kidney disease, the levels of phosphate in your body can be too high. In this case, calcium is used to bind to phosphate and this allows it to be removed, helping to keep the levels normal. Read more about calcium supplements for kidney disease.
