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 23 of 395), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- All Natural Veggie Elite Chocolate MochaMRM · off the marketin a blend
- All Natural Veggie Elite Vanilla BeanMRM · off the marketin a blend
- All Natural Whey Dutch ChocolateMRM · off the marketin a blend
- All Natural Whey Rich VanillaMRM · off the marketin a blend
- All Natural Whey UnflavoredMRM · off the marketin a blend
- All Plant Protein PowderNutrilite · off the market25 mg
- All-32 Plus With Lutein And LycopeneFDC · off the market220 mg
- All-In-One Daily Essentials Shake ChocolateLyfe Fuel100 mg
- All-In-One Daily Essentials Shake Vanilla ChaiLyfe Fuel100 mg
- All-In-One MultivitaminThompson100 mg
- All-In-One Plus GrapefruitSolgar100 mg
- All-In-One Shake ChaiThe Cheat System Diet25 mg
- All-In-One Shake ChocolateThe Cheat System Diet25 mg
- All-In-One Shake VanillaThe Cheat System Diet · off the market25 mg
- All-In-One Whey + Greens Milk ChocolateMuscleTech Performance Series180 mg
- All-ZymeDaVinci Laboratories of Vermont · off the market50 mg
- All-ZymeDaVinci Laboratories · off the market50 mg
- Aller PlusQuantum Nutrition Labs40 mg
- Aller-AllProtocol For Life Balance85 mg
- Aller-MaxCountry Life50 mg
- Aller-ResponseSource Naturals26 mg
- AllerCapsPremier Research Labs40 mg
- AllerplexSP Standard Process20 mg
- Allicin CareAkasha Naturals80 mg
- Allicin with CaprylatesPharmax100 mg
- Allithiamine (Vitamin B1) 50 mgEcological Formulas · off the market75 mg
- ALLMASS ChocolateALLMAX SPORT1,197 mg
- ALLMASS VanillaALLMAX SPORT83 mg
- ALLPRO ChocolateALLMAX SPORT300 mg
- ALLPRO VanillaALLMAX SPORT300 mg
- Allulose Powder 4 gBulkSupplements.comno amount
- AllWhey Classic ChocolateALLMAX NUTRITION · off the market166 mg
- ALLWHEY Classic StrawberryALLMAX187 mg
- AlmasedAlmased242 mg
- Almased Almond Vanilla FlavorAlmased · off the market190 mg
- Almased Synergy DietAlmased · off the market200 mg
- Almond Liquid Vite MinGenestra Brands75 mg
- Almond Protein Unflavored and UnsweetenedNaturesPlusno amount
- AloeNutriClean110 mg
- Aloe BoostAloe Life50 mg as transcribed, likely a slip
- Aloe CleanseDigestive Benefits50 mg
- Aloe Herbal Detox FormulaLily of the Desert25 mg
- Aloe Herbal Stomach FormulaLily of the Desert250 mg
- Aloe VeraBareOrganics42 mg
- Aloe Vera Cranberry FlavorBareOrganics42 mg
- Aloe Vera Fillet JuiceThe Vitamin Shoppeno amount
- Aloe Vera Gel Inner FilletLily of the Desert25 mg
- Aloe Vera Gel Whole Leaf FilteredLily of the Desert35 mg
- Aloe Vera JuiceThe Vitamin Shoppe100 mg
- Aloe Vera Juice Inner FilletLily of the Desert25 mg