Calcium should always be taken with vitamin D, because vitamin D is necessary for the body to absorb calcium. The recommended daily calcium intake is:
Age or life stage
Recommended calcium intake (in mg/day)
1–3 years 500
4–8 years 800
9–18 years 1,300
19–50 years 1,000
Older than 50 years 1,200
(The recommended daily amount of calcium for men and women older than 50 is 1,200 mg. Postmenopausal women need to increase the calcium in their diets to reduce the effects of bone loss, which naturally occurs after menopause. Osteoporosis develops as a result of bone loss. Calcium helps slow the rate of bone loss.)
Pregnant or nursing women need the same as other women their age. 1,000–1,200
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