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 13 of 395), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Active Woman's MultiVitabase400 mg
- Active Women's MultivitaminSuper Nutrition400 mg
- Active-C 1000 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe120 mg
- Active-C 1000 mg with BioflavonoidsThe Vitamin Shoppe · off the market120 mg
- Active-C 500 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe60 mg
- Active-C 500 with Bioflavonoids 500 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe · off the market60 mg
- Active-C Plus 500 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe50 mg
- Active-C with Bioflavonoids 1000 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe120 mg
- Active-C with Bioflavonoids 500 mgThe Vitamin Shoppe60 mg
- ActiveEssentialsXYMOGEN · off the market50 mg
- ActivEssentialsXYMOGEN · off the market50 mg
- ActivEssentials For WomenXYMOGEN · off the market325 mg
- ActivEssentials with CalciumXYMOGEN · off the market325 mg
- ActivEssentials With OncoPlex & D3XYMOGEN EP · off the market50 mg
- ActivEssentials with OncoPLEX & D3XYMOGEN · off the market50 mg
- ActiVitBeachBody200 mg
- ActiVit Body Toning FormulaBeachbody Nutritionals110 mg
- ActiVit Metabolism FormulaBeachbody Nutritionals200 mg
- Activite SportMHP Maximum Human Performance200 mg
- ActivJointTrace Minerals Research355 mg
- ActivJoint PlatinumTrace Minerals Research55 mg
- ActivJoint PlatinumTrace Minerals55 mg
- ActivJoint PlusTrace Minerals Research450 mg
- ActivNutrientsXYMOGEN50 mg
- ActivNutrients Chewable Natural Mixed Berry FlavorXYMOGEN50 mg
- ActivNutrients PerformanceXYMOGEN17 mg
- ActivNutrients without Copper & IronXYMOGEN50 mg
- ActivNutrients without Copper & Iron Multivitamin PowderXYMOGEN · off the market100 mg
- ActivNutrients without Copper & Iron Multivitamin Powder Natural Fruit Punch FlavorXYMOGEN100 mg
- ActivNutrients without IronXYMOGEN50 mg
- ActivNutrietnsXYMOGEN50 mg
- ActivNutrtientsXYMOGEN · off the market50 mg
- Actra-SX 500 EnergizerBody Basicsin a blend
- AcuteCombine X400 mg
- Acute PhaseMetagenics50 mg
- ADAM CapsulesNOW50 mg
- Adam SoftgelsNOW55 mg
- ADAM TabletsNOW25 mg
- AdaptInterPlexus22.5 mg
- AdaptInterPlexus Whole Body Health22.5 mg
- AdaptrinAmerican Medical Holdingsin a blend
- Added Protection IIIDouglas Laboratories500 mg
- Added Protection III (Without Copper And Iron)Douglas Laboratories500 mg
- Added Protection III (Without Copper)Douglas Laboratories · off the market500 mg
- Added Protection III (Without Iron)Douglas Laboratories · off the market500 mg
- ADDtendDouglas Laboratories165 mg
- ADHD Mineral SupportBrainchild Nutritionals8 mg
- Adora Calcium Supplement 500 mg CocoaAdora500 mg
- Adora Calcium Supplement Rich Dark ChocolateAdora506 mg
- Adora Calcium Supplement Rich Milk ChocolateAdora504 mg