Calcium keeps your bones and teeth strong plus healthy. It also helps your muscles move, your nerves carry messages, and your circulatory system do its thing.
Basically, calcium is incredibly important. But, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans , nearly 30 percent of men and 60 percent of women over age 19 don’t get as much calcium from food as they need. Eek!
If you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough dietary calcium from dairy products plus leafy greens, calcium supplements can help. But with so many supplement options out there, which one should you choose?
To see which supplements are bringing all the calcium to the yard, we reviewed the market’s offerings and selected the best.
We reached out to Julie Stewart, Registered Nutritionist at Julie Stewart Nutrition , in order to learn about the benefits of calcium supplements and what to look out for when buying. We then used her tips to create our list of the particular best supplements.
Choose a respected brand
Because the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) doesn’t regulate calcium or other dietary supplements as strictly as drugs, it’s important to buy through a trusted brand name with excellent reviews.
Look for the Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMP) certification, which confirms that the manufacturing facility meets FDA requirements. Third-party testing from folks like United States Pharmacopeia (USP) or the National Science Foundation (NSF) also helps.
Vetted products only
We’ve put all of the products on this list through our own comprehensive assessment process. All of us looked for unreasonable health claims, shady dealings, FDA warning letters, and lawsuits. And we chose companies that will value transparency about ingredients and provide dosage information.
Here’s a closer look at the top supplements, including pros, cons, plus what users have been saying about them.
Side-by-side comparison
Greatest overall calcium supplement:
Nature Made Calcium
- Price: $
- Amount: 220 doses
- Type: tablets
- Ingredients: gluten-free calcium supplement with no added color or artificial flavors
Nature Made Calcium ticks all the boxes for us. With a whopping 600 mg of calcium carbonate per dose, it’s high strength but affordable. It also includes vitamin D , which helps your gut absorb the calcium mineral, meaning more bang for your buck.
The USP logo on the label helps you shop with confidence. This independent organization tests supplements to ensure they’re potent and pure. Nature Made has been in the business for more than 50 years, so they should know their sh*t.
You can take a single tablet daily or double up if your doctor recommends an extra boost. These tablets are smaller than many other calcium dietary supplements and have a neutral taste.
As with almost all calcium carbonate pills, some people may experience stomach upset and constipation when taking these.
But on the plus side, in addition to this supplement’s bone health benefits, some users say they sleep better and also have more energy when using it.
Best calcium supplement with regard to bone wellness
Thorne Basic Bone Nutrients
- Price: $$$
- Amount: 120 doses
- Type: capsules
- Ingredients: comprehensive vitamin D , vitamin K, calcium, plus magnesium in one product
Thorne’s credentials are seriously impressive. Few brands have certification from the NSF, the particular FDA, and Australia’s Therapeutic Goods Administration. All Thorne supplements go through four rounds of testing. That commitment to excellence can give you confidence if you need to buy a calcium supplement for your bone health.
This one’s called Fundamental Bone Nutrition because it goes beyond calcium. This has less calcium compared to some other supplements, yet vitamin D, supplement K , and magnesium lend the helping hand.
Thorne also keeps its supplements free of common allergens, including gluten, soy, dairy, yeast, and shellfish. Vegans should steer clear, though, because the calciferol comes from lanolin sourced from sheep’s wool.
Take 1 in order to 4 capsules daily, depending on your own doctor’s recommendations. They’re around the expensive part, but most users love them plus report few side effects. That makes them worth the money for many consumers.
Best high dose calcium mineral
Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Stronger Bones
- Price: $$$
- Amount: 30 doses
- Type: tablets
- Ingredients: no synthetic binders, fillers, artificial flavors, sweeteners, colors, or even additives; Non-GMO Project verified; certified gluten-free
With a whopping 1, 100 mg associated with calcium in every 4-capsule dosage, these supplements suit people needing a serious mineral boost. These bad boys also contain magnesium , vitamin Deb, and vitamin K regarding extra bone health help. Celebrity wellness expert Dr . Perlmutter developed this supplement, along with just about all the some other products within the Doctor Formulated line.
Garden of Life’s supplements are certified gluten-free, free from GMOs, kosher, and organic. And due to the fact the calcium supplement comes from marine algae, this supp is A-OK intended for vegans.
Some peeps mention that the pills are quite large, so swallowing four each day can be challenging. However , if a person can handle that and want to increase your calcium supplements levels dramatically, these Garden of Life supplements are a top option.
Best citrate calcium product
Pure Encapsulations Calcium Citrate
- Cost: $$$
- Amount: 90 doses
- Type: pills
- Components: gluten-free‚ dairy-free‚ sodium-free‚ sugar-free‚ no synthetic flavors
Research suggests that if your stomach acid is low, you may soak up calcium citrate better than additional forms associated with calcium. This means you can take this with heartburn medications or on a good empty stomach. In addition , most users don’t experience the bloating and obstipation that calcium carbonate may trigger.
Pure Encapsulations Calcium mineral Citrate will be one of the best options because it has no fillers.
These types of capsules are free of common irritants plus allergens — including wheat, eggs, tree nuts, and peanuts — as well as artificial colors, preservatives, flavors, plus sweeteners. They don’t consist of any unnecessary binders, cosmetic coatings, or even shellacs, either.
If you’re concerned about what goes into your body, then you’ll care about all the stuff this company leaves out.
Calcium citrate is much less potent, at just 21% calcium, so you need to consume a lot more of it than associated with some various other forms of calcium mineral to get the same result. A 2-capsule daily dose provides 300 magnesium of calcium supplement, which is less than other brands. But if you encounter negative effects through taking calcium supplements carbonate health supplements, these are worth a shot.
Ideal chewable calcium supplement
Kirkland Signature Calcium supplement 500 mg with D3
- Price: $$
- Amount: 60 doses
- Type: gummies
- Elements: gluten- and lactose-free orange and cherry natural fruit flavors
If swallowing pills is challenging for you, a chewable may suit you better. There aren’t many chewable calcium products on the market, but Kirkland offers come up with the goods.
Kirkland Signature Calcium 500 mg with D3 comes in the form of gummies with delicious orange plus cherry flavors. Taking 2 gummies daily is simply no hassle when they flavor so good!
Each dose gives you five hundred mg of calcium and 1, 000 IU associated with vitamin D 3 for much better bone health. Plus, they are free of chemical preservatives, artificial tastes, yeast, plus gluten and suitable for various dietary requirements. The addition of gelatin means vegetarians and vegans gotta pass on these, though.
Along with few reported side effects and a great fruity taste, it’s no surprise that many people swear by these Kirkland Signature gummies. Calcium pills are often within the big side, yet these gummies are easy to get, and their own appealing flavor makes this easier to remember to get your daily dose.
Best calcium supplement subscription
Care/of Calcium Plus
- Cost: $
- Amount: 30 doses
- Type: tablets
- Substances: free from eggs, fish, milk, peanuts, shellfish, me llaman, tree nuts, and whole wheat
The supplement subscription is a convenient option — your calcium mineral gets delivered regularly in order to your door, so a person never run out. There are a few calcium subscriptions available, but we like Care/of Calcium supplements Plus best.
Care/of gets its name because it puts customer care first. Take the quiz whenever you sign up and you’ll receive suggestions based on your diet, fitness routine, plus health goals.
The Calcium Plus health supplement provides real value for your money, along with 480 magnesium of the nutrient in every dose. The particular calcium is supported by other pro-bone-health ingredients, which includes magnesium and vitamins D and K2, and the formulation is free from gluten and GMOs and ideal for vegetarians.
Care/of helps you shop with confidence by providing comprehensive details about how this sources the ingredients. Each supplement furthermore goes through multiple tests to make sure it is effective and safe. An interactive app with rewards for taking your own supplements adds to the particular fun.
The correct calcium mineral for a person depends on your dietary needs, health history, and wellness goals. Follow these steps to find the calcium supplement that will suits you best.
1. Consult your own doctor
Your doctor understands your medical background and how much calcium a person need in order to meet recommended levels . Be honest with them about your diet plan plus your general health. An open discussion can help all of them determine how much calcium supplement your dietary supplement should include.
A note of caution: Recent research provides linked calcium supplements to increased risk of cardiovascular disease — the 15 percent increase in risk within healthy postmenopausal women who supplemented along with 1, 500 mg or more of calcium per day, to be exact.
While the medical community hasn’t reached a consensus on how prevalent this is, it’s worth some extra discussion with your doc and consideration when making your decision.
2. Consider your dietary needs
You’ll find calcium supplements that are gluten-free, kosher, GMO-free, vegan-friendly, and much more. In fact, there are calcium supplements to suit every dietary requirement. Check the labels carefully if you have allergies, intolerances, religious beliefs, or other preferences that limit what you eat.
3. Choose your preferred format
Tablets are the most common calcium mineral format, but they’re not for everyone. Smooth capsules may suit you better if you have trouble swallowing traditional pills. Or you may prefer a chewable supplement.
4. Research available supplements
By now, you should have the pretty good idea of what you want. Make a new shortlist associated with supplements in your favored format that have the right amount regarding calcium and fit your own dietary needs.
Read reviews to see exactly what users think about these options. Pay attention to success stories and any unwanted effects users experience.
Then, you can decide which supplement on your current shortlist may work best for you.