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Best Calcium Supplements For Women – Top 3 Highly Recommended Choices

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By Leslie Waterson

Reviewed by Juliana Tamayo, MS, RDN - Last Updated

Best Calcium Supplements For Women

With countless supplements on the market, it can get confusing about which ones are important to take. One thing to look at before choosing a lineup is what your body is deficient in. It’s easy to take a dozen supplements, but knowing what you are taking and why you are taking it is crucial. 

One supplement that is common for women to supplement is calcium. As humans age, the calcium in their body decreases, and supplementation can be important. In the following article, we will dive into calcium so you can learn what exactly it is, why women need to supplement with it, the benefits of calcium supplements, and more. We’ll also make sure to go over the best calcium supplements for women that are worth adding to your routine.

Calcium Supplements for Women

What Is Calcium?

Calcium is a mineral that plays a notable role in the health of our bones and teeth. But aside from aiding those, calcium is also involved in different parts of our health such as muscles, blood clotting, nerve cell function, etc.

While it is a common supplement, calcium can also be found in a wide variety of foods such as nuts, seeds, leafy green vegetables, and of course, dairy products like milk and cheese.

Calcium in milk

However, despite its wide availability, some people may have a hard time absorbing calcium into their system. In these cases, getting more calcium through supplementation could be necessary.

Why Women Need More Calcium

Although calcium is important for both men and women, women tend to need more calcium than men.

One of the main reasons behind this is that women’s bone density is lower compared to men. As a result, women are often more prone to osteoporosis than men, hence they need a sufficient source of calcium and vitamin D – in terms of bone strength, calcium and vitamin D work together; through vitamin D, calcium is better absorbed in our bones.

Also, a woman’s body is more complex compared to a man’s. Unlike men, women undergo different physiological stages such as menstruation, pregnancy, breastfeeding, and menopause. As the woman’s body undergoes these phases, their nutritional demand also increases.

Finally, when a woman reached menopause, she would stop producing estrogen. Estrogen, aside from being a reproductive hormone, also contributes to the formation of bone-forming cells. With estrogen gone, calcium absorption also reduces, making her prone to weak bones.

In short, women need more calcium simply because their physiology needs it more.

Calcium For Women

Main Benefits Of Calcium Supplements

Different parts of our body benefit from calcium. Here are some of these body parts and systems:

Bones And Teeth

We all know what calcium is needed to strengthen and maintain our bones and teeth. Around 99% of the calcium in our body is located in the bones and teeth!

We need calcium for our bones to develop and grow. Once our bone growth stops, calcium is used to maintain the strength and integrity of our bones.

If we don’t take calcium, our bones would be prone to bone density loss, which naturally happens as we age. Calcium intake through diet and supplements can help stop or slow this process down.

As mentioned above, women are more susceptible to bone loss because of how their physiology works. This is especially true as they reach their menopausal age. Once they stop producing estrogen, which promotes bone formation, calcium absorption would also reduce, leading to weaker bones if not supplemented well.

But even if a woman is in her 20s, it’s advisable to consider her calcium supplement at such an early age. This is because her body needs more nutrients, especially as she undergoes female physiological processes such as menstruation or pregnancy.

Also, if she was able to supplement her calcium intake well, this can benefit her as she grows older as this can reduce her risk of bone problems such as osteoporosis.

Cardiovascular System

Now, this is something that many of us would not probably think of: calcium also plays a role in our hearts!

Because calcium can regulate muscle contraction (more on that later), this is beneficial for the heart and your blood pressure. If the heart muscle can relax as it pumps in and out, this can lead to lower and maintain blood pressure.

Also, calcium plays a vital role in blood clotting. We need blood clotting to stop the blood from flowing out of our wound. If our blood cannot clot properly, our wounds will not properly heal.

Blood clotting is a very complex process and uses a variety of chemicals and minerals to achieve its goal. One of the main minerals used for blood clotting is calcium.

Muscles

Calcium also plays a role in our muscles. Specifically, calcium is used in regulating muscle contraction.

Once a nerve stimulates a particular muscle, our body will release calcium. In turn, the calcium released will assist the proteins in carrying out the muscle contraction. In the process, the muscle will also be relaxed.

Support For Overall Health

Calcium is more than just our bones and teeth – and even more than the body areas that we had just discussed. Simply put, calcium is a necessary mineral that your body cannot afford to not have – or in other words, you can’t be deficient in calcium!

Once you get deficient in calcium (also called “hypocalcemia”), it will cause a lot of different health problems, such as:

  • Weak bones
  • Brittle nails
  • Muscle spasms
  • Muscle cramps
  • Numbness and tingling in your hands, feet, and face
  • Confusion or memory loss
  • Hallucinations
  • Depression

Seeing the symptoms of calcium deficiency, you would see the importance and necessity of calcium for your body.

There, just like with some nutrients, it is important to sustain your body with calcium to promote not just bone and teeth health, but overall health as well.

Are Calcium Supplements Safe?

If you took more calcium than you need, you may experience mild symptoms such as gas, bloating, and constipation.

However, if you’re taking too much, excess calcium can increase your risk of kidney stones. Lastly, if you are getting a lot of calcium, it can cause an excess amount of calcium in your blood which is called hypercalcemia. This one is rare, but it can still happen if you’re not careful with your calcium consumption.

Either way, the best way to avoid side effects is by simply following the proper dosage and intake of your calcium supplement. If you are experiencing mild symptoms such as gas or bloating, consider lowering your intake, changing your supplement brand, or consulting your doctor about your calcium supplementation.

Best Calcium Supplements For Women

Just like with other supplements, finding out the right calcium supplement can be a tricky one. So, it’s important to be watchful of the supplement you’re planning to buy before giving spending it on the supplement.

Personally, the most important thing that I look for in a calcium supplement is the added ingredient which can enhance calcium absorption. As we already know, calcium needs another nutrient (such as vitamin D) so that our body can better absorb it.

If you’re looking for a calcium supplement to try out, below are some of our recommendations.

Vega Sports Pro Calcium 600mg  

Vega Sports Pro Supplements Calcium

Vega Sport Pro is a powdered supplement from Vega, the same producer as Vega Sport Energizer. This supplement is a great option for those that do not want to take a pill. Whether this is because you don’t feel comfortable swallowing pills, or you just find powders preferable, this is a great choice by a popular brand. 

GET THE BEST PRICE ON VEGA SPORTS PRO CALCIUM

Life Extension Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D

Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D

Life Extension is well-known in the supplement industry. They produce a variety of supplements from Magnesium Caps to Forskolin to this Calcium Citrate with Vitamin D supplement. This supplement is easy to take, high quality, and made with Vitamin D. The reason Vitamin D is included is to help maximize calcium absorption. We recommend always choosing a supplement that includes vitamin D for absorption.

GET THE BEST PRICE ON LIFE EXTENSION CALCIUM CITRATE WITH VITAMIN D

Thorne Basic Bone Nutrients – Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Vitamin K

Thorne Research - Basic Bone Nutrients - Calcium, Magnesium, Vitamin D, and Vitamin K 

Thorne Research is one of the most popular supplement brands and for good reason. They produce top-notch products at an affordable price. Thorne Basic Bones Nutrients is a combination of vitamin D, vitamin K, calcium, and magnesium all in one supplement designed to support bone health. Additionally, it is gluten-free, dairy-free, and soy-free.

GET THE BEST PRICE ON THORNE BASIC BONE NUTRIENTS

Final Thoughts: Calcium Supplements For Women

If you are thinking about adding calcium supplements to your diet, now is a great time to try it out. Calcium supplements are easy and safe supplements to test that carry a variety of benefits with it. If you start taking calcium supplements and experience any negative symptoms, contact a medical professional for help. 

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Leslie Waterson

Leslie has been passionately involved in the health and fitness industries for over a decade. She is constantly reviewing the latest scientific research and studies in order to take a research-backed approach to lifestyle optimization. Her main areas of interest include nutrition and supplementation. Leslie shares her findings on Fitness Clone to help other health enthusiasts choose the products and routines that will help them achieve their goals.