The 13 Best Calcium Supplements

23 Jul.,2022

Calcium is a mineral that’s crucial for many bodily processes. Here are the 10 best calcium supplements.

 

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Calcium is an important mineral that’s crucial for maintaining bone strength and structure (1).

What’s more, it’s involved in many other aspects of health and required for blood clotting, muscle contractions, and nerve cell function (2).

Although calcium is found in a variety of foods like dairy products, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens, some people may need to supplement with it to help meet their daily needs.

However, selecting a high quality calcium supplement can be challenging, especially if you’re not sure what to look for.

How we chose

This article evaluates calcium supplements based on the following criteria:

  • third-party testing and certifications
  • the type of calcium
  • the dosage
  • the presence of added ingredients to enhance calcium absorption

Pricing guide

  • $ = under $0.20 per serving
  • $$ = $0.20–$0.40 per serving
  • $$$ = over $0.40 per serving

A note on price

General price ranges with dollar signs ($ to $$$) are indicated below. One dollar sign means the product is rather affordable, whereas three dollar signs indicate a higher price range.

Generally, prices range from $0.07–$0.93 per serving, or $10.40–$38 per container, though this may vary depending on where you shop.

Most products require you to just take 1 capsule daily, but some have a greater serving size.

Healthline’s picks for the best calcium supplements

Here are the 13 best calcium supplements.

Best subscription

Care/of Calcium Plus

Price: $$

This high quality calcium supplement provides 768 mg of calcium per serving and is vegetarian, non-GMO, and gluten-free.

It’s also formulated with several other micronutrients to support bone health, including vitamin K, vitamin D, and magnesium.

Care/of offers convenient subscription plans for supplements and recommends products just for you based on your health goals, diet, and fitness routine.

They also provide detailed information on the sourcing of ingredients and test products multiple times to ensure that they’re safe and effective.

Sign up now for Care/of

Persona Nutrition Calcium Citrate

Price: $

With 150 mg of calcium citrate per serving, this Persona Nutrition supplement can be a simple, effective, and affordable way to add more calcium to your diet.

Persona Nutrition is a company designed to help streamline your supplement routine by creating a custom plan that fits your needs using information about your diet, lifestyle, and medical history.

All supplements are thoroughly tested and inspected to ensure quality. Each subscription plan includes a free consultation with a certified nutritionist for personalized guidance and advice.

Sign up now for Persona

Rootine Personalized Daily Multivitamin

Price: $$$

If you’re looking to boost your intake of calcium while also filling other nutritional gaps in your diet, check out this Rootine multivitamin.

Rootine offers a simple quiz on their website, which they use to determine your specific nutrient needs using information about your diet and lifestyle.

Instead of capsules, softgels, or chews, Rootine multivitamins are available in the form of microbeads that you can mix into soft foods or take with your favorite beverage.

All Rootine products undergo third-party testing by NSF International and the Institut Kurz laboratory to ensure potency, quality, and strength.

Sign up now for Rootine

Best overall

Nature Made Calcium

Price: $

This supplement contains 600 mg of calcium in the form of calcium carbonate, a compound that contains a high amount of calcium in each dose (3).

Calcium carbonate is not only more widely available than other forms but also often more affordable.

This product likewise contains vitamin D, which can help increase the body’s ability to absorb calcium (4).

Additionally, it’s verified by United States Pharmacopeia (USP), a third-party organization that tests supplements for purity and potency.

Shop now at Amazon

Best calcium citrate

Pure Encapsulations Calcium Citrate

Price: $$

Packing 300 mg of calcium into a single serving, this high quality supplement features calcium citrate, a form of calcium that the body easily absorbs (5).

In addition to being hypoallergenic and made without the use of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), this calcium supplement is certified gluten-free, making it a great option for those with food sensitivities or celiac disease.

It’s also produced in a facility that’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) certified by NSF International, meaning that it adheres to strict standards for quality and strength.

Shop now at Amazon

Best calcium carbonate

Vega Sport Pro Calcium

Price: $$

This product is made using calcium carbonate, a type of calcium that’s often cheaper and more widely available than other forms.

It contains 600 mg of calcium per serving, providing nearly half of the calcium that you need in an entire day (6).

This supplement is also vegan and NSF Certified for Sport, meaning that it has undergone third-party testing to verify the formulation and purity of the product.

Shop now at Amazon

Best chewable

Kirkland Signature Calcium 500 mg with D3

Price: $

For those who prefer calcium gummies over capsules and tablets, this product may be a good choice.

It contains 500 mg of calcium, along with vitamin D to help maximize absorption.

It has also undergone third-party testing to evaluate its purity and strength, and been verified by USP.

Shop now at Amazon

Standard Process Calcifood

Price: $$$

These wafers offer 200 mg of calcium per serving and can be an easy way to bump up your intake of calcium.

Standard Process is a unique manufacturer that grows 80% of the plants used in their supplements on their own certified organic farm.

They also use comprehensive testing methods that have been approved by third-party organizations like USP and the Association of Analytical Communities to maximize quality.

Shop now at Amazon

How to choose

With so many different supplements on the market, picking the right product can be challenging.

Be sure to buy from a reputable manufacturer and look for supplements that have undergone third-party testing and are certified by organizations like USP or NSF International.

It’s also important to consider the type of calcium in your supplement and whether it contains calcium carbonate or calcium citrate, which are the two most common forms.

Calcium carbonate is more widely available, cheaper, and contains a higher amount of calcium than other compounds. However, it has been associated with symptoms like gas and bloating (3, 15).

Calcium citrate, on the other hand, is slightly more expensive but also more easily absorbed in the body (5, 15).

People who have low stomach acid or are taking proton pump inhibitors should choose calcium citrate, as it can be absorbed without the help of stomach acid (16).

Be sure to check the ingredient label carefully, as many products contain high amounts of fillers, additives, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives.

Many products also contain added ingredients like vitamin D, which can help optimize the absorption of calcium (4).

Calcium requirements range from 1,000-1,200 mg daily for most adults depending on age and sex assigned at birth, and it can come from a combination of food sources and supplements (17).

For most people, supplements providing 200–500 mg of calcium are often enough to help fill any gaps in their diet (18).

However, those who are at risk for osteoporosis or unable to meet their calcium needs due to food allergies or dietary restrictions may require a higher dose (9).

Furthermore, those with certain medical conditions, such as hypoparathyroidism — a condition characterized by low production of parathyroid hormone, may also need a higher dose supplement (19).

Be sure to talk with your doctor before using a high dose calcium supplement, and remember to always split supplementation into several smaller doses of less than 500 mg to maximize absorption (17).

Finally, it’s important to only use a supplement as directed and talk to a healthcare professional before starting to supplement, especially if you have any underlying conditions or are taking medications.

Useful supplement shopping guides

Check out these two articles to help make supplement shopping a breeze:

  • How to Choose High Quality Vitamins and Supplements
  • How to Read Supplement Labels Like a Pro

The bottom line

Calcium is an important mineral that plays a central role in bone health.

There are many calcium supplements on the market, each of which varies based on the type of calcium, dosage, and ingredients it contains.

When selecting a calcium supplement, be sure to consider all of these factors and look for products that have undergone third-party testing to ensure that you’re getting the highest quality possible.