Frequently Asked Questions
What is Calcium?
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. Over 99% of the body's calcium supply is found in the bones and teeth where it supports their structure. Calcium is also important for proper muscle function, nerve transmission, and hormonal secretion.
What are the Recommended Daily Doses for Calcium?
The DRIs for calcium
| Age Group | Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) per day | Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) per day |
|---|---|---|
| Infants 0-6 months | 200 mg | 1000 mg |
| Infants 7-12 months | 260 mg | 1500 mg |
| Children 1-3 years | 700 mg | 2500 mg |
| Children 4-8 years | 1000 mg | 2500 mg |
| Children 9-18 years | 1300 mg | 3000 mg |
| Adults 19-50 years | 1000 mg | 2500 mg |
| Adults 51-70 years Men Women | 1000 mg 1200 mg | 2000 mg 2000 mg |
| Adults > 70 years | 1200 mg | 2000 mg |
| Pregnancy & Lactation 14-18 years 19-50 years | 1300 mg 1000 mg | 3000 mg 2500 mg |
* Adequate Intake rather than Recommended Dietary Allowance.
What is Vitamin D?
Vitamin D, the “sunshine vitamin,” is produced when the sun’s rays interact with our skin. It helps build stronger bones by increasing the absorption of calcium. It also improves the function of muscles, which can improve your balance and decrease the likelihood of falling and suffering a fracture.
In Canada, we don’t get as much sun as we need to produce adequate vitamin D. Further, the skin’s ability to make vitamin D decreases as we age. There are also very few food sources of vitamin D, making it nearly impossible for adults to get sufficient vitamin D from diet alone. Therefore, Osteoporosis Canada recommends routine vitamin D supplementation for Canadian adults year-round.
The best supplement to purchase is vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol). While most multivitamins or calcium supplements contain some vitamin D, the amounts can vary, so it’s important to read the label carefully to ensure you are getting the amounts you need. If you aren’t sure about the amounts in the supplements you are taking, please check with your pharmacist.
Adding vitamin D enhanced foods to your diet is another great way to increase intake of vitamin D. In Canada, vitamin D fortification is mandated for margarine, infant formula, formulated liquid diets, cow’s milk and substitutes, egg products, foods for use on a very low energy diet, meal replacements and nutritional supplements. Fortification is voluntary for butter substitutes, condensed milk, goat’s milk and goat’s milk powder.
Reference:
https://osteoporosis.ca/vitamin-d/
What are the DRIs for Vitamin D?
The DRIs for calcium
| Age Group | Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) per day | Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL) per day |
|---|---|---|
| Infants 0-6 months | 400 IU (10 mcg) | 1000 IU (25 mcg) |
| Infants 7-12 months | 400 IU (10 mcg) | 1500 IU (38 mcg) |
| Children 1-3 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 2500 IU (63 mcg) |
| Children 4-8 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 3000 IU (75 mcg) |
| Children & Adults 9-70 years | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 4000 IU (100 mcg) |
| Adults > 70 years | 800 IU (20 mcg) | 4000 IU (100 mcg) |
| Pregnancy & Lactation | 600 IU (15 mcg) | 4000 IU (100 mcg) |
* Adequate Intake rather than Recommended Dietary Allowance.
What are DRIs?
Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) are recommendations for nutrient intakes. They are a comprehensive set of nutrient reference values for healthy populations established by Canadian and American scientists through a review process overseen by the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies, which is an independent, nongovernmental body in the United States.
Values for vitamin D, calcium, and other nutrients are set through the DRI process.