A Dietitian's Picks: The 13 Best Calcium Supplements

• Best subscription: Care/of Calcium Plus
• Best low dose: Persona Nutrition Calcium Citrate
• Best multivitamin with calcium: Rootine Personalized Daily Multivitamin
• Best overall: Nature Made Calcium
• Best calcium citrate: Pure Encapsulations Calcium Citrate
• Best for women over 50: New Chapter Bone Strength Take Care Slim Tablets
• Best organic: Garden of Life my kind Organics Organic Plant Calcium
• Best with vitamin D: Life Extension Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D
• Best for women: Thorne Oscap
• Best high dose: Garden of Life Dr. Formulate Stronger Bones
• Best value: NOW Calcium & Magnesium
• Best chewable: Kirkland Signature 500 mg with D3
• Best for osteopenia: Standard Process Calcifood

This article evaluates calcium supplements based on the following criteria:

• Quality: We looked for products from reputable companies that have ideally been third-party tested or manufactured by third-party certified facilities.
• Type of calcium: We chose supplements that feature several different types of calcium, such as calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, or calcium stearate.
• Dosage: We included supplements that provide a range of doses to help you find a product that meets your needs, whether you have been advised to take a high dose supplement or are simply looking to fill the gaps in your diet.
• Additional ingredients: Some of our picks pair calcium with other nutrients to support bone health or maximize absorption, such as vitamin D, vitamin K, or magnesium. We also included several products that contain only calcium for those who prefer a single-nutrient supplement.
• Vetting: All products included in this article have been vetted and approved by our team of experts to ensure that they meet Healthline’s medical and business standards.

Best subscription

Care/of Calcium Plus

• Price: $$
• Type: calcium (from calcareous marine algae)
• Form: tablets
• % daily value (DV) per serving: 37%
• Serving size: 2 tablets
• Active ingredients: calcium, vitamin D3, magnesium, vitamin K2

This high quality calcium supplement provides 480 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, making it a good option for those who prefer the convenience of subscription-based services.

They also provide detailed information on the sourcing of ingredients and test products multiple times to ensure that the contents match what’s on the label.

Best low dose

Persona Nutrition Calcium Citrate

• Price: $
• Type: calcium citrate
• Form: vegan capsule
• % DV per serving: 15%
• Serving size: 1 capsule
• Active ingredients: calcium citrate

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

Because it contains just 15% of the recommended DV for calcium per capsule, it’s also a great option for those seeking a low dose supplement to help round out their 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 in-house, though they aren’t third-party tested. Each subscription plan includes a free consultation with a certified nutritionist for personalized guidance and advice.

Best multivitamin with calcium

Rootine Personalized Daily Multivitamin

• Price: $$$
• Type: calcium carbonate
• Form: microbeads
• % DV per serving: varies depending on needs
• Serving size: one packet
• Active ingredients: depends on specific formulation

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.

This makes it one of the best choices if you’re interested in taking a multivitamin that contains calcium in a dosage tailored to your specific needs.

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 Europe and the Institut Kurz laboratory to ensure potency, quality, and strength.

Best overall

Nature Made Calcium

• Price: $
• Type: calcium carbonate
• Form: tablets
• % DV per serving: 46%
• Serving size: 1 tablet
• Active ingredients: vitamin D3, calcium

This supplement from Nature Made earned our top pick as the best overall calcium supplement for several reasons.

For starters, it 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. However, this form of calcium is commonly associated with mild gastrointestinal side effects, like gas and bloating (4)

This product likewise contains vitamin D, which can help increase the body’s ability to absorb calcium (5).

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

Best calcium citrate

Pure Encapsulations Calcium Citrate

• Price: $$
• Type: calcium citrate
• Form: capsules
• % DV per serving: 23%
• Serving size: 2 capsules
• Active ingredients: calcium citrate

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 (6).

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 Current Good Manufacturing Practice (CGMP) certified by NSF International, meaning that it adheres to strict standards for quality and safety.

Best for women over 50

New Chapter Bone Strength Take Care Slim Tablets

• Price: $$$
• Type: calcium (from organic algae)
• Form: tablets
• % DV per serving: 70%
• Serving size: 3 tablets
• Active ingredients: vitamin D3, vitamin K1, vitamin K2, calcium, magnesium, strontium, silica, vanadium

This vegan-friendly product contains a blend of nutrients designed to support bone strength, including calcium sourced from organic algae.

It contains 905 mg of calcium per serving, along with a hearty dose of vitamin K, vitamin D3, and magnesium, making it a great option for women over 50 and those at an increased risk for bone loss.

This supplement is also vegan, certified organic, and NSF certified gluten-free.

Best organic

Garden of Life mykind Organics Organic Plant Calcium

• Price: $$$
• Type: calcium (from organic algae)
• Form: tablets
• % DV per serving: 62%
• Serving size: 3 tablets
• Active ingredients: vitamin D, calcium, magnesium, vitamin K2, strontium, vanadium, organic plant calcium blend

This supplement not only contains 800 mg of calcium in each serving, but it also provides a range of other nutrients, including vitamin D, magnesium, and vitamin K2.

Both vitamin D and vitamin K are important for bone health and the prevention of conditions like osteoporosis, or bone loss (7, 8).

Additionally, vitamin D can help increase the absorption of calcium, which helps maintain bone strength (4).

This product is one of the few calcium supplements that is certified organic, which may be an important consideration for those who prefer sticking to organic supplements.

It’s also gluten-free, vegan, and third-party tested, which can help ensure that you’re getting the highest quality possible.

Best with vitamin D

Life Extension Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D

• Price: $
• Type: calcium citrate
• Form: capsules
• % DV per serving: 15%
• Serving size: 1 capsule
• Active ingredients: vitamin D3 (as cholecalciferol), calcium (as calcium citrate)

This supplement contains 200 mg of calcium in the form of highly absorbable calcium citrate (6).

It also contains 2.5 mcg of vitamin D, which can help increase the absorption of calcium and promote bone health (5).

Life Extension, a company known for manufacturing high quality supplements, produces this product.

Additionally, a certificate of analysis (COA) — which provides in-depth information about the testing results for each supplement — is available upon request for this product, scoring it our top spot as the best calcium supplement with vitamin D.

Best for women

Thorne Oscap

• Price: $$
• Type: dicalcium malate
• Form: capsules
• % DV per serving: 23%
• Serving size: 2 capsules
• Active ingredients: vitamin D, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, calcium, magnesium

With calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and several B vitamins included, Thorne Oscap is an especially great choice for women looking to support bone health and bump up their calcium intake.

Thorne Research is a reputable supplement manufacturer and one of the few companies certified by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), an Australian government agency responsible for regulating supplements for safety and quality.

Best high dose

Garden of Life Dr. Formulated Stronger Bones

• Price: $$$
• Type: calcium (from organic eggshell)
• Form: tablet
• % DV per serving: 100%
• Serving size: 5 tablets
• Active ingredients: vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, vitamin K2

This product provides 1,300 mg of calcium per serving, making it a good option for those seeking a high dose calcium supplement.

In fact, individuals at risk for osteoporosis, those with certain medical conditions, and people who are unable to meet their calcium needs through food may require higher dosages of calcium (9).

This supplement contains calcium carbonate derived from eggshells, as well as several other nutrients to support bone health, including vitamins D and K (7).

What’s more, it’s also certified gluten-free, kosher, non-GMO, and organic.

Keep in mind that it’s important to talk to a healthcare professional before using a high dose calcium supplement to prevent any negative health effects.

Additionally, be sure to split your total daily dosage and take several smaller doses throughout the day. This is because calcium absorption is highest in doses of 500 mg or less and decreases with larger amounts (10).

Best value

NOW Calcium & Magnesium

• Price: $
• Type: calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium ascorbate
• Form: tablets
• % DV per serving: 77%
• Serving size: 2 tablets
• Active ingredients: calcium, magnesium

Each serving of this budget-friendly supplement boasts 1,000 mg of calcium that’s derived from a combination of calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, and calcium ascorbate.

Some older animal studies show that calcium ascorbate, a compound that contains both calcium and vitamin C, may be as well absorbed as other forms of calcium in the body (11, 12).

It also contains magnesium, a mineral that’s essential to bone health and has been associated with increased bone mineral density (13, 14).

In addition to being one of the most affordable products on the market, it’s also vegan, kosher, and soy-free.

NOW supplements are manufactured in facilities that are certified by UL Solutions (previously Underwriters Laboratories) to ensure that supplements are manufactured according to high safety and quality standards.

Best chewable

Kirkland Signature Calcium 500 mg with D3

• Price: $
• Type: calcium phosphate
• Form: gummies
• % DV per serving: 38%
• Serving size: 2 gummies
• Active ingredients: tribasic calcium phosphate, vitamin D3

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 has been verified by USP.

Best for osteopenia

Standard Process Calcifood

• Price: $$$
• Type: calcium phosphate, calcium stearate
• Form: wafers
• % DV per serving: 20%
• Serving size: 2 wafers
• Active ingredients: dicalcium phosphate, calcium stearate, proprietary blend

These wafers offer 200 mg of calcium per serving and can be an easy way to bump up your intake of calcium if you have osteopenia or bone loss.

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 in-house testing methods that have been approved by third-party organizations like USP and the Association of Analytical Communities to maximize quality.

Here’s a quick look at how our top picks compare:

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

Here are a few of the most important factors to consider:

• Third-party testing: In addition to buying supplements from a reputable manufacturer, be sure to look for products that have undergone third-party testing and are certified by organizations like USP or NSF International.
• Type: Calcium carbonate is more widely available and cheaper, and it contains a higher amount of calcium. But it may cause gas and bloating. Calcium citrate is more expensive but more easily absorbed in the body, which may be key for people who have low stomach acid or are taking proton pump inhibitors (3, 4, 15, 16).
• Ingredients: It’s important to check the ingredient label carefully and steer clear of products that 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 (17).
• Dosage: Though calcium requirements range from 1,000-1,200 mg daily for most adults, supplements with 200-500 mg are usually enough to help fill in the gaps in your diet. However, some people may need a higher amount, including those with certain dietary restrictions or health conditions (9, 10, 18).

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

Additionally, you should always 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 (10).

Calcium supplements can be a simple and effective way to increase your calcium intake.

They may be especially beneficial if you’re unable to meet your needs through food sources alone or if you have any health conditions that can interfere with nutrient absorption.

Additionally, calcium supplements may be recommended for postmenopausal women, as menopause can lead to bone loss and decreased calcium absorption (10, 19).

However, note that research on the potential benefits of calcium supplementation for the prevention of bone loss and fractures is mixed (20).

In fact, one study showed that the long-term use of calcium supplements was associated with decreased loss of bone mineral density, but it was not linked to a lower risk of bone fractures during menopause (21).

It’s important to talk with a healthcare professional before taking calcium supplements to determine whether or not they are necessary for you.

Though calcium is an essential mineral and plays a central role in bone health, excessive intake of calcium from supplements has been associated with several negative side effects, including:

• increased risk of kidney stones, especially when combined with vitamin D or if supplements are taken between meals rather than with food (22, 23)
• higher risk of heart disease and heart attack (24, 25)
• hypercalcemia — or high levels of calcium in the blood — which can cause a range of symptoms, including digestive issues and bone pain (26, 27)

If you’re considering taking calcium supplements, you should talk with a healthcare professional first to determine whether the potential benefits outweigh the risks.

What is the best form of calcium to take?

There are several forms of calcium available, each of which has its own pros and cons.

Calcium citrate is often preferred over other types because it’s more readily absorbed and less likely to cause side effects. On the other hand, calcium carbonate may be associated with gas and bloating, but it’s also more affordable, readily available, and requires fewer tablets per serving to reach your desired dose (6).

Other forms are also available but are less common and have not been studied as extensively, including calcium phosphate, calcium ascorbate, and dicalcium malate.

How much calcium do I need per day?

The recommended DV for calcium is 1,300 mg for adults and children 4 years and older. However, individual calcium needs can vary based on your age and assigned sex at birth (10).

Here is the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for calcium for specific groups (10):

• 19-50 years: 1,000 mg per day
• 51-70 years: 1,000 mg per day for men, 1,200 mg per day for women
• 70 years and over: 1,200 mg per day

Is vitamin D the same as calcium?

Vitamin D and calcium are two different nutrients. Calcium is a mineral found naturally in dairy products and leafy greens. Meanwhile, vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin that is produced by the skin in response to sun exposure (5, 10).

Though there are several differences between these two nutrients, both play a key role in bone health and are often combined in many supplements.

Can vitamin D be taken with calcium?

Vitamin D and calcium can be taken together. In fact, many calcium supplements also contain vitamin D, as it increases the absorption of calcium (5).

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.