What Are The Most Common Vitamin Supplements?

Calcium

Calcium is a vital mineral for the growth and maintenance of healthy teeth and bones. Having an adequate level of calcium helps maintain bone density, and it reduces the risk of osteoporosis. In addition, calcium is involved in blood clotting, regulating heart rhythm, releasing hormones, and sending and receiving nerve signals. To maintain bone health, doctors often recommend older adults take a calcium supplement. Calcium citrate and calcium carbonate are the two major forms of the supplement that are readily available. Of the two, calcium citrate is the most expensive, and patients can take it on an empty stomach or with a meal. Calcium carbonate is slightly cheaper, and doctors recommend taking it with food to maximize absorption. For adults under fifty years old, experts suggest a daily calcium intake of one thousand milligrams. Women between fifty and seventy years old need 1,200 milligrams per day, and all adults who are seventy-one or older need 1,200 milligrams each day. For the easiest absorption, clinicians recommend taking calcium in doses of five hundred milligrams or less at one time. Calcium supplements could increase the risk of kidney stones in some individuals, so patients may want to check with their doctor before starting daily calcium supplements.

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