Calcium Intake Calculator: How Much Per Day

Calcium intake calculator: how much per day

Short answer

Adults aged 19–50 need 1,000 mg of calcium a day, according to the US Recommended Dietary Allowances. Women need 1,200 mg from 51 (men stay at 1,000 mg until 70), everyone over 70 needs 1,200 mg, and 9–18-year-olds need 1,300 mg. The upper limit for adults is 2,500 mg a day, falling to 2,000 mg after 50.

Last reviewed 28 October 20262 published sourcesNot medical advice

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Calcium: daily RDA by age and sex
Age	Female	Male	Upper limit
1–3 years	700 mg	700 mg	2,500 mg
4–8 years	1,000 mg	1,000 mg	2,500 mg
9–13 years	1,300 mg	1,300 mg	3,000 mg
14–18 years	1,300 mg	1,300 mg	3,000 mg
19–30 years	1,000 mg	1,000 mg	2,500 mg
31–50 years	1,000 mg	1,000 mg	2,500 mg
51–70 years	1,200 mg	1,000 mg	2,000 mg
71+ years	1,200 mg	1,200 mg	2,000 mg

Age

Female

Male

Upper limit

1–3 years

700 mg

2,500 mg

4–8 years

1,000 mg

2,500 mg

9–13 years

1,300 mg

3,000 mg

14–18 years

1,300 mg

3,000 mg

19–30 years

1,000 mg

2,500 mg

31–50 years

1,000 mg

2,500 mg

51–70 years

1,200 mg

1,000 mg

2,000 mg

71+ years

1,200 mg

2,000 mg

Calcium in pregnancy and breastfeeding
Age	Pregnancy	Breastfeeding	Upper limit
14–18 years	1,300 mg	1,300 mg	3,000 mg
19–30 years	1,000 mg	1,000 mg	2,500 mg
31–50 years	1,000 mg	1,000 mg	2,500 mg

Age

Pregnancy

Breastfeeding

Upper limit

14–18 years

1,300 mg

3,000 mg

19–30 years

1,000 mg

2,500 mg

31–50 years

1,000 mg

2,500 mg

Where the numbers come from

The Institute of Medicine set the current calcium RDAs in 2011, mostly from calcium balance studies for ages 1–50. Women's needs rise at 51 because of menopause; men's rise at 71. Pregnancy and breastfeeding do not change them, and the adult upper limits reflect kidney stone risk (IOM, 2011 (calcium, vitamin D)).

US food labels use a single Daily Value of 1,300 mg for everyone (FDA Daily Values), so a label's percentage can understate your share if you need less.

Related tools

The same 2011 report set the vitamin D values; see the vitamin D intake calculator. For other daily targets, try the protein calculator and the fiber intake calculator.

Common questions

How much calcium do adults need a day?

1,000 mg a day for adults aged 19–50. Women need 1,200 mg from 51, men from 71. These are the Recommended Dietary Allowances set by the Institute of Medicine in 2011.

Do I need more calcium when pregnant or breastfeeding?

No. The Institute of Medicine found pregnancy and breastfeeding do not raise calcium needs, so the amount is the same as for other women your age: 1,300 mg at 14–18 and 1,000 mg at 19–50.

Can you have too much calcium?

Yes. The tolerable upper intake level for adults is 2,500 mg a day to age 50 and 2,000 mg after that, counting food and supplements together. The adult limits were set mainly from the risk of kidney stones.

Sources

Figures on this page were checked against these publications on 28 October 2026.

Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press; 2011. doi.org/10.17226/13050

U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels. Content current as of 5 March 2024. www.fda.gov/food/nutrition-facts-label/daily-value-nutrition-and-supplement-facts-labels

Calcium intake calculator: how much per day