If you're like me, you've been taking Calcium supplements to ensure you have good bone health and to ward off osteoporosis after you hit menopause. Well, yesterday I visited a new GP (due to my recent move to Hamilton,) and told her what vitamins I've been taking: a daily tablet of calcium (650 mg) with D3 (400 IU) for absorption, plus another vitamin D tablet (1,000 UI) to make up for my lack of sun exposure. I was startled to hear that I may be taking too much calcium, which is not good for my bones. Apparently, women my age (menopausal) should be ingesting 1,000 mg of calcium per day. With a daily cup of milk on my cereal (300 mg), I'm soon over the limit anytime I eat other calcium sources, such as spinach, salmon, tahini, almonds, or other dairy products.
What I should be upping to ensure good bone and health, however, is my daily intake of vitamin D. I should be ingesting 2,000 IU per day. With the 400 IU in my calcium tablet and a daily vitamin D tablet of 1,000 UI, I've been selling myself short by 600 IU per day. Of course, I've probably been eating foods that are sources of vitamin D, such as dairy, egg yolks, and many types of fish, but I'm going to start taking 2 vitamin D tablets per day (totalling 2,000 UI), and a calcium tablet every other day.
You may want to check your vitamin intake with your GP to ensure you have healthy bones and teeth as you mature.
Here's a link to calcium information from the Dieticians of Canada:
http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Factsheets/Osteoporosis/Food-Sources-of-Calcium.aspx
and to vitamin D information:
http://www.dietitians.ca/Nutrition-Resources-A-Z/Factsheets/Vitamins/Food-Sources-of-Vitamin-D.aspx
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