Calcium Supplements:
No Appointment Necessary

Aired on Lifetime Television
Sunday, May 6 and June 17, 2007
Show 412

Dr. Lisa Thornton:

Calcium is an essential building block for strong healthy bones, but as many as 75 percent of women over 35 and 80 percent of teens are not getting enough.

John Jenkins, RPh:

You know a lot of people think calcium is something you don't need to worry about till you're older. That's simply not the case.

Dr. Lisa Thornton:

It's true. 90 percent of our bone mass is fully developed by age 18. So calcium is a huge issue for children and teens.

John Jenkins, RPh:

Dairy is the best known source for calcium. There are other foods like broccoli and spinach that are calcium rich. A lot of processed foods are fortified with calcium. But if you're still not getting enough in your diet, calcium supplements can be a great option.

Dr. Lisa Thornton:

Yes, they can. And healthy women from teenage years into adulthood, need about 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day. That's about six servings of calcium rich foods.

John Jenkins, RPh:

You should also emphasize that you need to get enough vitamin D and phosphorus to help your body absorb the calcium.