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 32 of 395), each with the amount its label prints; an amount far outside what other labels print is marked as a possible slip.
- Appedex Mixed Berry SmoothieMuscleTech · off the market280 mg
- Appedex SX-7 Mixed Berry SmoothieMuscleTech398 mg
- AppeFIT Apple PunchThe Vitamin Shoppe Next Step130 mg
- AppeFIT Mixed BerryThe Vitamin Shoppe Next Step130 mg
- Appetite BoostThompson1,000 mg
- Appetite ReducerBody Attack Sports Nutrition163 mg
- Appetite Reducer FemBody Attack163 mg
- Appetite SuppressantSlim Science · off the market120 mg
- Appetite SuppressantYes You Can!50 mg
- Appetrex ControlGNC Total Lean141 mg
- Appiless Berry Fusion SmoothiePurely Inspired325 mg
- Apple Cider CompleteGNC Earth Genius · off the market80 mg
- Apple Cider VinegarNATURELO Premium Supplements150 mg
- Apple Cider Vinegar + KetoHerbTonicsin a blend
- Apple Cider Vinegar + Keto Gummies 500 mg Natural Green Apple FlavorHerbTonicsin a blend
- Apple Cider Vinegar +KetoNutriFlairin a blend
- Apple Cider Vinegar 300 mg21st Century · off the market115 mg
- Apple Cider Vinegar 500 mgIndiana Botanic Gardens · off the market21 mg
- Apple Cider Vinegar 500 mgBotanic Choice21 mg
- Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse360 Nutritionin a blend
- Apple Cider Vinegar FormulaPuritan's Pride111 mg
- Apple Cider Vinegar PlusMason Natural65 mg
- Apple Pectin Plus Vitamin CVitamin World300 mg
- AprozymeDNA Dynamic Nutritional Associates50 mg
- Aqueous Multi-PlusBiotics Research Corporation25 mg
- AR-5 Juicy GrapeAST Sports Science55 mg
- AR-5 Lemon IceAST Sports Science55 mg
- AREDS2 Select FormulaVisiVite40 mg
- AREDS2 White FormulaVisiVite100 mg
- Arginine AKGBodyTech94 mg
- ArginMaxGNC Women's500 mg
- ArginMax for WomenThe Daily Wellness Company500 mg
- Arima-XDVMI Sports56 mg
- ArimidrolVMI Sports70 mg
- Arjuna CardioComfortPlanetary Herbals128 mg
- Arjuna CardioComfort 460 mgPlanetary Herbals128 mg
- Arjuna-HeartAyush Herbs100 mg
- ARM Plus+ Fruit SmoothieMax Muscle Nutrition100 mg
- ARM Plus+ Intense StrawberryMax Muscle Nutrition100 mg
- ARM Plus+ Orange Citrus BlastMax Muscle Nutrition100 mg
- ARM Plus+ Peach Mango RushMax Muscle Nutrition100 mg
- ARM Plus+ Tropical Fruit PunchMax Muscle Nutrition100 mg
- ARM Plus+ Watermelon SplashMax Muscle Nutrition100 mg
- Armor-VMusclePharm · off the market47 mg
- Armor-V Multi-Nutrient ComplexMP MusclePharm47 mg
- Arnold Iron Cre3 Blue RazzMusclePharm18 mg
- Arnold Iron Cre3 Fruit PunchMusclePharm18 mg
- Arnold Iron Cre3 WatermelonMusclePharm18 mg
- Arnold Iron PackMusclePharm111 mg
- Arnold Iron PackArnold Schwarzenegger Series111 mg