2. Calcium & Vitamin D
Calcium and vitamin D are an important component to maintaining bone health. Many older adults do not get enough vitamin D from food or exposure to sunshine. If you have osteoporosis and/or are at risk for fracture, you should consume enough calcium and vitamin D through diet or supplements. Speak to your healthcare provider to learn more.
How Much Calcium Do I Need?
Age | Daily Calcium Requirement (mg) (from diet and supplements) |
---|---|
19-50 | 1000 |
Pregnant/lactating women 18+ | 1000 |
Calcium
For all residents, we recommend dietary interventions to meet the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for calcium.
For all older adults in LTC | Older Adults – High Risk | Older Adults – Low Risk |
---|---|---|
1200 mg daily through diet (3 servings of dairy or equivalent) | 500 mg supplements daily recommended | 500 mg supplements daily recommended* |
Vitamin D
High Risk | Low Risk |
---|---|
800 – 2000 UNITS of Vitamin D3 | 800 – 2000 UNITS Vitamin D3* |
*depending on resources and preferences
Tips
Resources
Key Publications
- A randomized controlled trial of vitamin D dosing strategies after acute hip fracture: no advantage of loading doses over daily supplementation [Papaioannou A et al. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2011]
- Association between vitamin D3 supplementation and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels in older individuals residing in long-term care in Ontario, Canada [Ioannidis G et al. J Am Geriatr Soc. 2012]