Dear Lynn:

Is taking too much calcium bad? --shakra

Dear shakra:

It can be. Calcium supplements much above the RDA aren't recommended. There is no evidence of ill effects up to 2500mg/day, but very large amounts can induce constipation. For people with some types of kidney disease, too much calcium can cause problems. For most healthy people, more calcium than we need is excreted, causing a hole only in our pocketbook.

The guidelines for calcium consumption changed recently. Here are the updated guidelines:

General population
1-3 years old -- 500 mg calcium
4-8 years old -- 800 mg calcium
9-18 years old -- 1300 mg calcium
19-50 years old -- 1000 mg calcium
51+ years old -- 1200 mg calcium

Pregnant or lactating
18 years old -- 1300 mg calcium
19-50 years old -- 1000 mg calcium

Remember that one cup of milk contains approximately 300 mg calcium. It's always better to get your calcium from food if at all possible.

Lynn Grieger, R.D., C.D.E., iVillage

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