What happens to your bones when you take vitamin D with calcium

Calcium and vitamin D are both essential nutrients for maintaining strong, healthy bones. Although each plays a different role in bone health, experts say they work best when taken together.

What Calcium and Vitamin D Do in the Body

Calcium is a mineral that gives bones their structure and strength, while vitamin D is a hormone that supports bone growth.

“Calcium is the main building block that gives bones their structure and strength,” said Diana Guevara, MPH, RD, a community health education specialist at the University of Texas Health Science Center School of Public Health.

“It’s also used in other parts of the body, so if we don’t get enough calcium, our bodies might be forced to extract calcium from our bones, leading to osteoporosis and a higher risk of fractures.”

Benefits of taking these nutrients together

When it comes to bone health, the main role of vitamin D is to facilitate the absorption of calcium in the intestine.

“Without enough vitamin D, calcium can’t do its job well,” said Natalie Allen, RD, associate clinical professor of nutrition and dietetics in the Missouri State University School of Health Sciences. “By combining them, you benefit from the bone-strengthening benefits of calcium. »

Research has shown that taking vitamin D and calcium supplements together may improve bone mineral density more than taking either supplement alone, especially in older adults and postmenopausal women.

Adults generally need 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium and 600 to 800 IU of vitamin D per day, although some may need more vitamin D depending on their age, skin tone, or health condition.

Getting Calcium and Vitamin D in Your Diet

It’s always best to seek to get nutrients from food first, if possible, Guevara said, because nutrients from food are easier for the body to absorb and use.

This may mean eating more foods rich in calcium such as:

• Dairy products
• Leafy vegetables
• Fish with bones (such as canned sardines or salmon)

And foods rich in vitamin D such as:

• Oily fish
• Eggs
• Mushrooms
• Enriched milk

However, Allen said food sources of vitamin D are limited because these foods only contain small amounts of the hormone, so supplements are often needed to help people get enough.

Sunlight can help your body produce vitamin D naturally, but excessive sun exposure poses other health risks, such as skin cancer.

“About 10 to 30 minutes of sun exposure, a few times a week, may be enough for some people, depending on location and season,” Allen said. “Darker skin tones may need more time in the sun to produce the same amount of vitamin D.”

When you might need a supplement

If you spend most of your time indoors or wear sunscreen daily, which Allen says is important for skin protection, a supplement is often the most reliable way to meet your needs.

If you’re considering taking a supplement, Guevara said it’s important to note that the upper limit of vitamin D for adults is 4,000 IU per day. Since vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it can be stored in the body and build up over time.

Before starting any new supplements, always talk to your doctor to discuss what is right for your health and specific needs.