More reasons not to take calcium
If you are interested in getting enough calcium, it is worth reading the many reports found in the litnotes, that can be accessed using the search command. The short answer is that even young women probably only benefit from 800 mg/d and do not need more than that. For any woman, the key to healthy bones is exercise, to help build/retain strong bones, retain strength and balance. [May 2007 important note: Prof. Walter Willett states “500 mg calcium is enough.”]
Here is a bit of information that may be useful. The last RDA for calcium was 800-1,200 mg per day. The debate on the value of calcium supplementation continues even as the daily requirement for calcium has increased. Two factors are important to consider in this debate. In favor of supplementation, it is well established from dietary surveys such as those presented in the RDA report that most of the U.S. population does not drink as much milk as the dairy industry would like. On the other hand, calcium supplements with high dosages may be hazardous, cause unpleasant side effects, and not be effectively absorbed.
