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Medical Author:

Coburn Hobar, MD

Medical Editor:

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

William C. Shiel Jr., MD, FACP, FACR

Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.

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Since the body's calcium needs change with age, calcium intake should be adjusted as necessary. Depending on age, an appropriate calcium intake is generally between 1,000 and 1,300 milligrams (mg) a day.

• Children 4-8 years of age need 800 mg/day.
• Children 9-18 years of age need 1,300 mg/day.
• Adults 19-50 years of age need 1,000 mg/day.
• Adults 51 years of age and older need 1,200 mg/day.

Getting too much calcium is difficult. The body can absorb 2 grams (2,000 mg) of calcium a day, and anything more can be excreted in the urine, although too much calcium excretion through the kidneys can result in kidney stones.

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