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The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults maintain a daily calcium intake of 1000 to 1200 mg for preventing osteoporosis and reducing fracture risk (J Clin Endocrinol Metab 2011; 96:53). However, average daily calcium intake is 700 to 900 mg. Two recent reviews of published studies (which involved primarily middle-aged and older women) clarify the effects of increased dietary calcium intake and calcium supplements on bone-mineral density (BMD) and fracture risk.
In a meta-analysis of 59 randomized controlled trials, researchers evaluated whether raising dietary calcium intake and taking calcium supplements increases BMD. Increasing dietary calcium intake (by 250–3320 mg daily) increased baseline BMD by 0.6% to 1.0% at the total hip an…