Can I take calcium supplements instead of having dairy?
The Australian Dietary Guidelines recommends we obtain the calcium we need from our diet. When this is not possible, a supplement may be required.
Last updated 31/01/2025
The Australian Dietary Guidelines advise calcium from foods may be preferable to calcium from some supplements.(1) Recent research has identified a link between calcium supplementation and an increased risk of heart disease and cardiovascular events.(2,3) This same effect is not observed with the equivalent dose of calcium from milk, yoghurt and cheese products.(4)
As well as calcium, milk also contains other essential nutrients like protein, riboflavin, vitamin B12, vitamin A, potassium, iodine and phosphorus that are needed for bone health as well as energy, growth and repair of tissues and immune function.
According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines, consumption of milk, cheese and yoghurt can protect against heart disease and stroke, can reduce our risk of high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, some cancers and contributes to bone health.(1)
Supplements might be important for people who have trouble getting the nutrients they need from food, or who have increased requirements. Calcium supplements only contain a single nutrient and using them to replace milk, cheese and yoghurt means you don’t get the extra health benefits of eating whole foods.(5)
For advice on calcium supplements visit Osteoporosis Australia or see your healthcare professional.
References
- 1. National Health and Medical Research Council. Australian Dietary Guidelines, Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia; 2013.
- 2. Bolland MJ, Avenell A, Baron JA, Grey A, MacLennan GS, Gamble GD et al. Effect of calcium supplements on risk of myocardial infarction and cardiovascular events: meta-analysis. Br Med J. 2010;341:c3691.604.
- 3. Bolland MJ, Grey A, Avenell A, Gamble GD, Reid IR. Calcium supplements with or without vitamin D and risk of cardiovascular events: reanalysis of the Women’s Health Initiative limited access dataset and meta-analysis. BMJ 2011;342:d2040.
- 4. Green JH, Booth C, Bunning R. Postprandial metabolic responses to milk enriched with milk calcium are different from responses to milk enriched with calcium carbonate. Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2003;12(1):109–19.
- 5. Serge Rozenberg et al. Effects of Dairy Products Consumption on Health: Benefits and Beliefs—A Commentary from the Belgian Bone Club and the European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis, Osteoarthritis and Musculoskeletal Diseases. Calcif Tissue Int. 2016; 98: 1–17. Published online 2015 Oct 7. doi: 10.1007/s00223-015-0062-x
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