New recommendations for vitamin D and calcium
Vitamin D and calcium play an important role in bone health. Follow these three
tips to find out just how much you need, and where you can find these essential
nutrients.
- Know how much you need. The amount of vitamin D and calcium you need depends on your age and sex. Take a look at this chart to see how much you need every day.
| Age and sex |
Vitamin D required |
Calcium required |
| 19-50 males and females |
600 IU*/day |
1,000 mg/day |
| 51-70 males |
600 IU/day |
1,000 mg/day |
| 51-70 females |
600 IU/day |
1,200 mg/day |
| 71+ males and females |
800 IU/day |
1,200 mg/day |
| *International Units |
- Find the heart healthy choices. Here is the approximate vitamin D and calcium content of different
heart healthy foods. Follow Canada's Food Guide and choose a variety of these
foods every day. Some food products have added vitamin D and calcium, so read
the Nutrition Facts on food labels to find the exact amounts.
| Food and amount |
Vitamin D content |
Calcium content |
| 1 cup (250 mL) skim milk |
103 IU |
316 mg |
| 1 cup (250 mL) low-fat, enriched soy beverage (all flavours) |
87 IU |
321 mg |
| ½ cup (125 mL) calcium and vitamin D fortified orange juice |
100 IU |
310 mg |
| 1½ oz (50 g) low fat (7 % M.F.) Cheddar cheese |
0 IU |
208 mg |
| 175 g (3/4 cup) plain, fat-free yogurt with added vitamin D |
71 IU |
253 mg |
| 75 g (2½ oz) Atlantic, farmed salmon, baked or broiled |
204 IU |
11 mg |
| 1 large egg, scrambled |
44 IU |
44 mg |
- Get expert advice about
supplements. The maximum safe amounts of vitamin D and calcium for
adults are 4,000 IU/day and 2,000 to 2,500 mg/day, respectively. If you think
you need to take supplements, talk to your dietitian or doctor first.