Mineral
Calcium
The NIH Office of Dietary Supplements publishes a recommended amount of Adult men 51–70 years 1,000 mg; Adult women 51–70 years 1,200 mg; Adults 19–50 years 1,000 mg; Adults 71 years and older 1,200 mg, and an upper limit of Adults 19–50 years 2,500 mg; Adults 51 years and older 2,000 mg. Read 2026-08-16.
What is Calcium?
"Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body."
How much Calcium does NIH publish?
| Life stage | Amount | Printed table |
|---|---|---|
| Adult men 51–70 years | 1,000 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Adult women 51–70 years | 1,200 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Adults 19–50 years | 1,000 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Adults 71 years and older | 1,200 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Birth to 6 months | 200 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Children 1–3 years | 700 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Children 4–8 years | 1,000 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Children 9–13 years | 1,300 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Infants 7–12 months | 260 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Pregnant and breastfeeding teens | 1,300 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Pregnant and breastfeeding women | 1,000 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Teens 14–18 years | 1,300 mg | Recommended Amount |
| Adults 19–50 years | 2,500 mg | Upper Limit |
| Adults 51 years and older | 2,000 mg | Upper Limit |
| Birth to 6 months | 1,000 mg | Upper Limit |
| Children 1–8 years | 2,500 mg | Upper Limit |
| Children 9–18 years | 3,000 mg | Upper Limit |
| Infants 7–12 months | 1,500 mg | Upper Limit |
| Pregnant and breastfeeding teens | 3,000 mg | Upper Limit |
| Pregnant and breastfeeding women | 2,500 mg | Upper Limit |
Children and teens
Rows for children and teens appear in the table above, in NIH's own wording.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Rows for pregnant and breastfeeding life stages appear in the table above, in NIH's own wording.
What upper limit does NIH publish for Calcium?
- Adults 19–50 years: 2,500 mg
- Adults 51 years and older: 2,000 mg
- Birth to 6 months: 1,000 mg
- Children 1–8 years: 2,500 mg
- Children 9–18 years: 3,000 mg
- Infants 7–12 months: 1,500 mg
- Pregnant and breastfeeding teens: 3,000 mg
- Pregnant and breastfeeding women: 2,500 mg
Which foods contain Calcium?
NIH's fact sheet for Calcium carries no line we quote here about foods.
Where these numbers come from
Every quote and every amount on this page comes from National Institutes of Health, Office of Dietary Supplements. Calcium — Consumer. Public domain (U.S. Government work). LAFYA read the sheet 2026-08-16.
Read the full fact sheet at NIH Office of Dietary SupplementsWhat LAFYA does not say about Calcium
LAFYA publishes no claim that calcium does anything in the body, because we cannot prove one.