Having recently been diagnosed with osteopenia, my GP prescribed Adcal-D3 and said, even though my calcium serum levels were within normal range, because of the osteopenia, this would need to be an ongoing repeat prescription. I have since spent some time looking into what I should and shouldn’t be doing to improve my bones. I have read in a few reports that calcium supplements can cause, "vascular calcification, stiffening arteries, increased blood pressure, and a higher risk of heart attack, stroke, or arrhythmia". This has put me off, and I haven’t been taking the supplements, just trying to incorporate more calcium into my diet. I’m looking for either reassurance that calcium supplements are safe to take long term, or that I will be able to get sufficient calcium in my diet, to look after my bones. Any advice appreciated. Thank you
The ROS, following NICE guidelines, recommend that calcium should be from food if at all possible, and only supplement to make up any shortfall: Osteoporosis: Calcium. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is recommended for everyone during the winter months and for those with osteoporosis is usually considered necessary all year round. Assuming you’re able to get sufficient calcium from your diet, are you able to go back to your GP with the ROS information about calcium supplements and ask for the prescription to be changed to Vitamin D only? Alternatively you can buy your own Vitamin D supplement, which would allow you to adjust the quantity you take to be appropriate for you personally, depending on your own blood vitamin D level. Unfortunately you can’t tell from a blood test whether calcium intake is adequate, because if everything is working as it should, the body tightly regulates blood calcium levels and if your intake isn’t enough, it will take calcium from your bones.
Thanks so much for your helpful reply. I am a vegetarian, (have been for 40 years) so getting a good calcium intake is perhaps not as easy as it could be. But I will make a concerted effort to increase my intake with food. I have been taking D3 for a while, iI have avoided the sun for many years because I burn so easily and my D levels were a little low. I might try ‘Together Health’ supplements, they look a little more natural maybe? They sell calcium supplements and bone health ( with K2 and D3) . Anyone have any experience with these..?
Thanks again
Hi Hfh,
I have been using Together Health Atlantic seaweed calcium for several years. I bought it after being prescribed both Adcal and Acrette neither of which agreed with my gut. I went over my diet with my fracture liaison nurse and I also used the ROS calcium calculator (which I found very helpful) to maximise my dietary calcium. I also take one capsule of TH calcium ‘just in case’ as I tend to get my calcium from non dairy foods.
I buy my own D3 and check my D levels twice a year using finger prick tests from here https://www.vitamindtest.org.uk I also take K2-Mk7 as well as magnesium, boron, dried prunes and an Eko Pur seaweed based omega 3 capsule. Like you I don’t want to be taking too much calcium.
If you are still in the osteopenia stage are you getting the correct sort of exercise that will help your bones? Another site along with the ROS website that I really like is this lady’s site Introduction
Adding K2 to your Vit D would help with bones. D3 on its own just circulates in your body adding K2 it goes to the bones.
Research still ongoing into K2. Lots of info on the HealthUnlocked site under Thyroid.
I saw an osteoporosis specialist in 2006 after receiving a diagnosis of advanced spinal osteoporosis. I was prescribed a high dose of calcium (which seemed to create a pain between my shoulder blades, which I was told would be temporary). During a routine blood test by my GP, the lab actually telephoned the surgery to say I had extremely high levels of calcium in my blood - hypercalcaemia. There doesn’t seem to be much after-prescribing monitoring going on and we all have to watch out carefully for possible side effects. During intervening years I, with agreement with the specialist, took D3 and (after I heard a research programme) K2 and still do. It might be interesting to note that (even though I fall over quite a bit because of week ankles) I didn’t fracture anything until 16 years later! This was after two and a half years of Thyroxin - which I wasn’t aware could thin bones! I then paid to see a thyroid specialist who found I was borderline anyway (note - thyroid tests should be two or three times before a diagnosis is made and mine wasn’t - and even then regular testing should take place at first, and this was not the case). Then there was Covid and cancellation of exercise classes and I broke my shoulder in three places at the end of the same year. It really is difficult to keep on top of the necessary fact-finding of these treatments - but extremely necessary! The medical profession seems to only look at their own field and not take into account whether harm might be caused in the desire to deal with their own particular speciality. They need to remember they signed up to ‘do no harm’.
That is so true. I often wished I was being treated as a unit not a series of illnesses that fit the concerns of each specialist. Getting that funny look when I ask “what about my heart? What about my diabetes?” doesn’t instil confidence.
Hi everyone,
Calcium is a really important topic for our community, and we just wanted to drop in to share the link to our Calcium-rich food chooser for those interested in exploring the amount of calcium in their diet - thank you to our valued members who have kindly mentioned this.
We hope this may feel helpful for those coming across the thoughtful conversation here. 
Wishing you all the best,
Lulu
ROS Moderator
Hi Hfh
I was also prescribed the high dose of calcium having been newly diagnosed at the start of this year but thanks to advice from an ROS nurse, I tried taking it before starting on the bisphosphanate so that I would know the cause of any new symptoms. After 2 days I had ‘pebbles’ - impossible to shift so I stopped taking the Adcal for 2 days, got things moving and then tried half a tablet. It was almost as bad and suggested to me that I was getting too much calcium. So I am also getting plenty of calcium from my diet and not taking the supplement! Carole
I’ve had a stroke and I’ve been taking them for months, I wasn’t made aware of any risk by my GP, where did you get this information from?
Hi I am confused. The leaflet reads we need 700mg of calcium daily. I have been shooting for the stars up to 1200mg daily. Has the recommendation changed? I have asked the question regarding K2 and was advised to stick to what was prescribed. 1200 cal and 800 vitamin d3
I would be really interested in your take on this. Thank you.
I think ensuring you have a healthy diet and regular exercise is paramount but I have also been taking the multi-vitamin Osteocare (+ glucosamine & chrondroitin) since I was first diagnosed over 3 years ago, which first lead me to the ROS website as it was on the packet.
And, like many others have mentioned, I take K2 which, despite the difference of opinion among the medics, I believe does help direct calcium to the bones rather than the arteries.
I believe it’s important that we take control of our bodies and what goes in them. Through thorough research and regular monitoring we can then help influence our GPs as to what they prescribe for us as individuals.
I luckily have always had my GP on side. Others haven’t been so lucky and have had to put up a fight. The information on the ROS website, together with their fantastic team of specialist nurses, can all help strengthen your cause! So please use them.
That’s the recommendation by NICE, although with osteoporosis it’s sometimes suggested we need 1000mg or even 1200mg. That isn’t a problem if you can get it from diet, but might cause issues if using supplements. If a doctor dismissed K2, you need to be aware that doctors have rarely even heard of it, and some confuse it with K1 (plentiful in diet).
Thanks everyone for joining the conversation, there is a lot to think about
Hello Linda, I got the information, just from a general internet search, asking if there were any risks associated with taking calcium supplements. I don’t know if it is conclusive, I think there are mixture of opinions out there…
Ok thanks I’ll have a look myself