The best calcium supplement? It depends on your preferences. You can add calcium to your diet either with foods that have been fortified — including General Mills' Total cereals — or with supplements. One TUMS Ultra chewable antacid tablet contains 400 mg. Or, there are a variety of pills you can swallow.
If you take a calcium supplement during a meal, try to keep your total calcium intake to around 500 mg for that meal. Moderate amounts above 500 mg aren't harmful for most people; they simply pass through our bodies. But, it's best not to overdo it — according to the Mayo Clinic, up to 2,500 mg per day is probably safe for most people.
Here are some suggestions:
If you take calcium supplement pills that you swallow, take them with a meal or shortly afterward. When you eat, your stomach produces acid; this helps dissolve the calcium pill. (Citracal doesn't have to be taken with food.)
Some medications (thyroid hormones, tetracycline, and antacids such as Mylanta that contain aluminum) interfere with your body's ability to absorb calcium. If you take these medications, take your pill an hour or two later — or earlier.
If you exceed 500 mg of calcium during a meal (or 2,000 mg per day) by a moderate amount, don't worry about it. These amounts are averages — they apply throughout your life.