mineral
Calcium supplements
Half of the 17,831 calcium supplements in the NIH label database that print an amount list 115 mg or less per serving; the middle half list 50 mg to 252 mg, and 1 in 213 of the 17,666 with a plausible amount give more than the adult upper limit at the most servings their labels direct (DSLD version 9.4.0, January 2026). The 376 products whose only supplement ingredient is calcium list a median of 300 mg, and 1 in 125 of them give more than the upper limit.
- Products listing it
- 19,72417,831 print an amount; 1,556 list it inside a blend without an amount
- Median per serving
- 115 mgmiddle half 50 mg to 252 mg
- FDA Daily Value
- 1,300 mgthe median is 9% of it
- Adult upper limit (IOM)
- 2,500 mg83 products go above it a day
How much calcium do supplements contain?
The median product lists 115 mg per serving. One in ten lists 23 mg or less, one in ten 540 mg or more. The amount printed most often is 100 mg (1,005 products).
Products by amount of calcium per serving
18,010 products, log scale; extreme 0.2% at each end left out of the drawing.
Source: Supplement Facts rows of every product's current label, NIH ODS Dietary Supplement Label Database version 9.4.0; amounts in one measure (weight).
How do the amounts compare with the Daily Value and the upper limit?
The FDA Daily Value for calcium is 1,300 mg (adults and children 4 and older). The median product gives 9% of it per serving; the 90th percentile 42%.
The adult Tolerable Upper Intake Level is 2,500 mg a day (total intake, adults 19-50 (2,000 mg from 51 years)). At the most servings their labels direct, 83 of the 17,666 products with a plausible amount (0.5%) give more than that from the supplement alone (what counts as plausible).
The upper limit is for total intake from food, water and supplements unless stated, and does not apply under medical supervision. A label amount is what the maker printed. This is data, not advice: the NIH ODS fact sheets explain what each nutrient does.
Sources: 21 CFR 101.9(c)(8)(iv) (Daily Values); Institute of Medicine, DRI summary tables (2011) (upper limits); on reading them, the FDA's Daily Value page.
Which forms of calcium do labels name?
Calcium carbonate is the form named most often: 4,133 of the 19,724 calcium products (21%), ahead of calcium phosphate (2,838, 14%) and calcium citrate (2,770, 14%). A product naming two forms counts in both; the table below gives every form.
Products by the form of calcium on the label
Count, and the median amount per serving in that form.
| Form | Products | Share of calcium products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium carbonate | 4,133 | 21% | 200 mg |
| Calcium phosphate | 2,838 | 14% | 108 mg |
| Calcium citrate | 2,770 | 14% | 200 mg |
| Calcium malate | 681 | 3% | 200 mg |
| Calcium lactate | 343 | 2% | 75 mg |
| Calcium gluconate | 283 | 1% | 250 mg |
| Calcium hydroxyapatite | 270 | 1% | 500 mg |
Source: the form each label gives for its calcium row (DSLD "forms"), current labels.
Which products list the most calcium?
On-market products, per serving, with a plausible amount: the rule leaves out likely entry slips, such as an amount far beyond every other label with no %DV or strength on the label to back it (each product page still shows its own amount, marked).
- VanillaON Optimum Nutrition2,070 mg
- StrawberryON Optimum Nutrition2,070 mg
- BananaON Optimum Nutrition2,070 mg
- Mass Tech Cookies and CreamMuscleTech2,000 mg
- Chewable Calcium Citrate 500 mg Calcium 500 IU Vitamin D3 Wild CherryBariatric Advantage2,000 mg
- ChocolateON Optimum Nutrition1,990 mg
- Super Mass Gainer Cookies & CreamDymatize1,950 mg
- Super Mass Gainer Gourmet VanillaDymatize1,950 mg
Have the amounts changed over the years?
Products whose current label entered DSLD in 2011 list a median of 150 mg; those entered in 2025, 118 mg.
| Year | Products | Median per serving |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 433 | 150 mg |
| 2012 | 1,075 | 200 mg |
| 2013 | 1,258 | 162 mg |
| 2014 | 867 | 120 mg |
| 2015 | 922 | 119 mg |
| 2016 | 902 | 117 mg |
| 2017 | 975 | 115 mg |
| 2018 | 827 | 100 mg |
| 2019 | 974 | 106.5 mg |
| 2020 | 1,729 | 100 mg |
| 2021 | 1,404 | 100 mg |
| 2022 | 1,720 | 115 mg |
| 2023 | 1,564 | 100 mg |
| 2024 | 1,789 | 106 mg |
| 2025 | 1,571 | 118 mg |
Source: DSLD label entry dates and amounts, current labels.
In which products and brands?
Products listing calcium by DSLD product type
Brands listing it most: Douglas Laboratories (274), Nature's Plus (236), Source Naturals (203), Nature's Way (200), NutraBio (189), Bronson (162), 21st Century (160), NOW (146), Country Life (138), The Vitamin Shoppe (127).
Every product listing calcium
19,724 products, A to Z by name (page 124 of 395), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- E.S.P. Extreme Blue RaspberryMetabolic Nutrition100 mg
- E.S.P. Pre-Workout Blue RaspberryMetabolic Nutrition50 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- E.S.P. Pre-Workout Fruit PunchMetabolic Nutrition100 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- E.S.P. Pre-Workout Green AppleMetabolic Nutrition100 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- E.S.P. Pre-Workout WatermelonMetabolic Nutrition100 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- E3 AfaE3Live11 mg
- EAA + Apple PearNutrex Research60 mg
- EAA + Hydration Maui TwistNutrex Research60 mg
- Ear Care with BioflavonoidsPuritan's Pride130 mg
- Ear Health PlusMason Natural58 mg
- Earth BrothHealthForce SuperFoods30 mg
- Earth Genius Men's MultivitaminGNC Earth Genius · off the market50 mg
- Earth Grown Nutrients Black Cherry FlavorOnnit43 mg
- Earth Grown Nutrients Lemon Mint FlavorOnnit43 mg
- Earth Source Multi-NutrientSolgar250 mg
- Earth Source Organic Cold-Milled FlaxSolgarin a blend
- Earth TeaB4B Earth Tea · off the market48 mg
- Earth's Green Essentialstnvitamins1,000 mg
- Earthy Andy Plant Powered Protein Tahitian VanillaNB Pure Pure Vegan105 mg
- Ease PlusHealth Concerns292 mg
- EaseFeminNaturaNectar150 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Easy Being GreenOra40 mg
- Easy Being Green OrangeOra40 mg
- Easy To Swallow High Potency B ComplexOrigin128 mg
- Easy-CNatrol50 mg
- Easy-C 1000 mgNatrol100 mg
- Easy-C 500 mgNatrol110 mg
- Easy-C 500 mg Regenerating ComplexNatrol525 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- EBOOST Energy Shot Natural Berry-Melon FlavorEBOOST40 mg
- EBOOST Energy Shot Natural Fruit Punch FlavorEBOOST40 mg
- EBOOST Energy Shot Natural Superberry FlavorEBOOST40 mg
- Echinacea Defense Force 784 mgPlanetary Herbals51 mg
- Echinacea Root Whole Herb And ExtractWachters' · off the market250 mg
- Echinacea Root Whole Herb And Extract (Echinacea augustifolia)Wachters' · off the market250 mg
- Echinacea With Forti-CNature's Answer · off the market27 mg
- Echinacea With Vitamin C And CalciumNature's Answer · off the market25 mg
- Echincea Defense ForcePlanetary Herbals51 mg
- EcoDrinkSGN Nutrition · off the market300 mg
- EcoDrink Daily Berry FlavorSGN Nutrition · off the market300 mg
- EcoDrink Daily Orange FlavorSGN Nutrition · off the market300 mg
- EcoDrink Multivitamin OrangeLily of the Desert Nutrition300 mg
- EcoGreen MultiNOW · off the market50 mg
- EcoGreen Multi Iron-FreeNOW50 mg
- EcoPure CoralCoral375 mg
- ecoSleepecoNugenics20 mg
- EDTA 500 mgSource Naturals140 mg
- EDTA-Zeolite 98%SuperSmart1,050 mg
- EFAGold Hemp Protein & FiberNature's Way · off the market40 mg
- Effer-CDouglas Laboratories225 mg
- Effer-C Acai Effervescent Drink MixNOW20 mg