Your body needs calcium to build strong bones when you are young and to keep bones strong as you get older. Everyone needs calcium, but it’s especially important for women and girls. Many people, including most women, don’t get enough calcium.
How much calcium do I need every day?
Women:
- If you are age 19 to 50, get 1,000 mg (milligrams) of calcium every day.
- If you are age 51 or older, get 1,200 mg of calcium every day.
Men:
- If you are ages 19 to 70, get 1,000 mg of calcium every day.
- If you are age 71 or older, get 1,200 mg of calcium every day.
Kids:
- Kids ages 1 to 3 need 700 mg of calcium every day.
- Kids ages 4 to 8 need 1,000 mg of calcium every day.
- Kids ages 9 to 18 need 1,300 mg of calcium every day.
Calcium can help prevent osteoporosis (weak bones).
Osteoporosis (“os-tee-oh-puh-ROH-sis”) is a disease that makes your bones weak and more likely to break. Some people don’t know they have it until they break a bone.
One in 4 women and 1 in 20 men over the age of 65 in the U.S. have osteoporosis. Calcium helps to keep your bones strong and less likely to break.