Key takeaways
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The NHS says you should be able to get all the calcium you need from your daily diet. This guide covers food sources, replacing dairy and the precautions around supplements. If RED-S or inadequate intake is a concern, discuss your circumstances with a qualified professional.
What the calcium claims cover
The exact EU-authorised wording for calcium is shown in the box above. No EU-authorised claim says that calcium above normal needs improves performance.
Groups discussed for calcium
The NHS lists milk, cheese and other dairy foods, soya drinks with added calcium, fish where you eat the bones (such as sardines and pilchards) and green leafy vegetables such as curly kale and okra among the sources of calcium. Anyone who has cut dairy substantially, whether for lactose intolerance, ethical reasons or general dietary preference, can check which of the other sources they use. The second, more serious risk group is athletes with RED-S, where, as the IOC 2023 consensus statement (Mountjoy et al.) describes it, athletes are exposed to low energy availability (inadequate energy intake in relation to exercise energy expenditure) and a syndrome of deleterious health and performance outcomes follows.
Bone health and athletes
A 2021 review (Zhu and Zheng) lists physical activity and calcium and vitamin D intake among the factors that play important roles in peak bone mass gain during childhood and adolescence. Anyone in the at-risk groups above, particularly anyone with irregular or absent periods alongside heavy training, can raise low energy intake and low calcium with a doctor rather than guess.
Food sources versus supplements
- Dairy: the NHS lists milk, cheese and other dairy foods among the sources of calcium.
- Fortified plant alternatives: the NHS lists soya drinks with added calcium among the sources of calcium.
- Leafy greens: the NHS lists green leafy vegetables such as curly kale and okra, but not spinach, because spinach does contain high levels of calcium but the body cannot digest it all.
- Fish with bones: the NHS lists fish where you eat the bones, such as sardines and pilchards.
- Tofu and fortified juice: products to check on the label for added calcium if you avoid dairy.
The NHS says that you should be able to get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet.
How much calcium adults need
The NHS says that adults aged 19 to 64 need 700mg of calcium a day.
Calcium supplements and amounts
The NHS says that if you take calcium supplements you should not take too much as this could be harmful, that taking high doses of calcium (more than 1,500mg a day) could lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea, and that taking 1,500mg or less a day is unlikely to cause any harm.
Putting it together
The NHS says that you should be able to get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet. If you have cut dairy, or you recognise the RED-S description above in your own training and eating, a doctor or dietitian can advise you, especially if periods have become irregular alongside heavy training. Local Malta and Cyprus retailers stock calcium alongside vitamin D and general nutrition products.
Source: EU Register of nutrition and health claims, NHS guidance on calcium, IOC 2023 consensus statement on Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (PubMed), Zhu and Zheng 2021 – Factors influencing peak bone mass gain (PubMed).
Frequently asked questions
Do athletes need more calcium than other people?
The NHS says that adults aged 19 to 64 need 700mg of calcium a day and that you should be able to get all the calcium you need from your daily diet.
What does calcium actually do for muscles and bones?
The exact EU-authorised wording is shown in the box on this page.
Who is actually at risk of low calcium intake?
The main groups are people who have cut dairy without a deliberate replacement plan, such as strict vegans not regularly using fortified alternatives, and athletes with Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S), where chronic under-eating relative to training load can affect bone health alongside hormones.
Is spinach a good source of calcium?
The NHS lists green leafy vegetables such as curly kale and okra, but not spinach, because spinach does contain high levels of calcium but the body cannot digest it all.
Should I take a calcium supplement as an athlete?
The NHS says that you should be able to get all the calcium you need by eating a varied and balanced diet, and that if you take calcium supplements you should not take too much as this could be harmful.