How Much Calcium Do We Really Need? - Brief Article

Vegetarian Journal, Nov, 2000 by Reed Mangels

Have you ever wondered if you need less calcium because you are a vegetarian and because your diet is lower in protein and sodium? Christopher Nordin, a scientist with the Institute of Veterinary Science in Adelaide, Australia, raises the issue of varying calcium needs in an opinion piece in a publication for nutrition scientists. Certainly there are genetically determined differences in calcium need. Nordin points out that the amount of calcium needed "varies not only from individual to individual, but from culture to culture" so that there can be no single, universal calcium requirement. He calls for those groups making recommendations to take this into consideration, which is something the US has not done at this point.

Nordin BEC. 2000. Calcium requirement is a sliding scale. Am J Clin Nutr 71:1381-1383.