When you think of bone health, calcium and vitamin D are often viewed as the go-to nutrients. Did you know that calcium and vitamin D depend on one another? Too much or too little of one can cause issues with absorption or abundance. While calcium is critical for women aging, it is not just about taking more calcium. It is about ensuring it works with other nutrients, particularly vitamin D3 and K2. These nutrients must be absorbed, activated, and properly balanced to support your body effectively. Understanding how vitamin D and calcium work together is critical for maintaining strong bones.
In this article, I will explain how calcium and vitamin D work together. You will also learn why their roles become even more crucial as you age. Lastly, I will share how you can nourish your bones with targeted, science-backed support. Let us dive in and begin with why calcium and vitamin D matter more during midlife.
Why Calcium and Vitamin D Matter More in Midlife
As you enter perimenopause and menopause, your body goes through significant changes. This calls for an increase in nutrient needs. Estrogen, the hormone that helps maintain bone density, begins to decline. This hormonal shift accelerates bone loss and reduces your ability to absorb calcium from food and supplements. Studies show that women can lose up to 20% of their bone density within five to seven years after menopause.(1)
During midlife, vitamin D deficiency becomes more prevalent. Many women are unaware that their vitamin D levels are low, especially if they spend little time in the sun. Aging also reduces your skin’s ability to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight.(2) This can result in lower calcium absorption and insufficient vitamin D levels. Both dramatically increase the risk of bone loss, osteoporosis, and fractures, especially when vitamin D deficiency is left unaddressed during midlife transitions.
How Much Vitamin D Should You Take?
Your vitamin D needs can vary throughout life. It depends on your age, lifestyle, and health conditions. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for vitamin D is 600-800 IUs per day, depending on age.(3)
-
Women Ages 19–70: 600 IU (15 mcg) per day
-
Women Ages 71 and older: 800 IU (20 mcg) per day
However, there is a difference between the RDA and Optimal Daily Intake (ODI), which is higher than the RDA. ODI is a dietary guideline that is improved to meet optimal nutrition instead of meeting the bare minimum. I recommend 5,000 IUs per day to maintain optimal levels. You may even need more therapeutic support with 10,000 IU daily. Achieving and maintaining these levels may require proactive vitamin D supplementation, especially if you have limited sun exposure, darker skin, are overweight or have autoimmune conditions.
AMMD™’s Vitamin D3 with K2 Liquid offers a highly bioavailable form of vitamin D3, combined with K2 for optimal absorption. Vitamin D3 and K2 work together to ensure calcium reaches your bones. For those who need a higher therapeutic dose, Vitamin D3 + K2 Capsules (10,000 IU) are available to help you reach your ideal levels safely and effectively.
How Much Calcium Should You Take?
As a woman, you have likely been told to supplement with calcium to support your bones. Calcium supplements alone do not efficiently support bone growth and bone mineral density. This is a hard fact that I cannot stress enough. Excessive calcium supplementation can do more harm than good. Too much calcium may increase the risk of kidney stones and arterial calcification if not properly balanced with cofactors such as vitamin D3 and K2.(4)
The recommended daily allowance for calcium includes:
-
Women aged 19–50: 1,000 mg/day
-
Women aged 51 and older: 1,200 mg/day
However, many functional medicine doctors, including myself, recommend up to 2,000 mg per day for optimal daily intake. Achieving the ODI of calcium every day can be a challenge, so it is important to incorporate calcium-rich foods into your healthy diet for women. Some foods that naturally contain calcium include leafy greens, sardines, almonds, and sesame seeds. When you do supplement, choose a formula that includes magnesium, boron, vitamin D3, and K2 for optimal absorption.
That is why I created AMMD™’s OsteoDura™ Bone Health Supplement. It is a comprehensive, cofactor-rich formula that delivers calcium alongside magnesium, boron, vitamin D3, and K2. This ensures your body can effectively absorb and utilize these nutrients where you need them most— in your bones!
The Vitamin D3 and K2 Connection
Vitamin D increases calcium absorption from your diet. Whereas vitamin K2 ensures that the calcium you absorb is deposited into your bones, not your arteries or joints. Having a deficiency in either is cause for concern. If you are low in vitamin D, you cannot absorb enough calcium. If you are low in vitamin K2, the calcium you absorb may not reach your bones, increasing the risk of arterial plaque buildup and heart disease.
If you have a leaky gut, your ability to absorb nutrients and vitamins may be severely compromised. This is because vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. Additionally, if you have autoimmune conditions or limited sun exposure, you are also at risk of deficiency. It is important to supplement with a high-quality bone health supplement that contains vitamin D3/K2. This ensures you are getting enough of these critical nutrients. For daily maintenance, AMMD™’s Vitamin D3 with K2 Liquid offers flexible dosing and easy absorption. If you need higher support, Vitamin D3 + K2 Capsules (10,000 IU) can help you reach therapeutic levels safely.
Cofactors That Make Calcium and Vitamin D3 Work Better
Calcium and vitamin D3 are only part of the bone health equation. Several key nutrients, known as cofactors, are essential for their effectiveness:
-
Magnesium converts vitamin D into its active form, supports bone structure, and helps regulate calcium transport.
-
Boron aids bone formation, supports hormone metabolism, and enhances the utilization of magnesium, calcium, and vitamin D.
-
Zinc supports bone mineralization and helps maintain bone-building cells.(5)
Without these cofactors, your body may struggle to absorb and use calcium and vitamin D effectively. That is why AMMD™’s OsteoDura™ Bone Health Supplement includes magnesium, boron, and zinc. This makes it a convenient, all-in-one solution for comprehensive bone support.
Signs You May Be Low in Calcium or Vitamin D
Deficiencies in calcium and vitamin D are surprisingly common, especially in women over 40. Symptoms are often chalked up to natural aging or stress. You know how important it is to get adequate calcium and vitamin D intake, but do you know what to look for when it comes to a deficiency? Let us discuss common signs and symptoms to be aware of.
Signs of Calcium Deficiency:
-
Muscle spasms
-
Confusion or memory loss
-
Tingling in the hands, feet, and face
-
Depression
-
Muscle cramps
-
Brittle nails
-
Frequent bone fractures
Signs of Vitamin D Deficiency:
-
Frequent infections and illnesses
-
Constant fatigue
-
Bone and back pain
-
Muscle weakness or cramps
If you notice these symptoms, do not ignore them! They indicate nutrient gaps that can be easily addressed with targeted nutrition and supplementation.
When to Test and How to Supplement Safely
Being body aware and looking out for symptoms of deficiencies is important. So is testing your blood serum levels and bone density. A blood test can help detect vitamin D deficiency and determine whether vitamin D supplementation is necessary for optimal bone health. A bone mineral density test can measure the mineral composition in your bones.
Conventional medicine recommends vitamin D levels at or above 20 ng/mL for women over 50. Functional medicine physicians, such as myself, typically recommend at or above 30 ng/mL, with 40-50ng/mL being ideal.(6) Below 20ng/mL indicates a severe deficiency. By determining this earlier rather than later, you can take a proactive approach to your lifestyle and diet. I recommend working with a functional medicine provider to assess needs before starting high-dose supplements.
A dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan measures your mineral composition to determine bone density. It is a quick, noninvasive scan that can detect early bone loss before symptoms even appear. This test compares your bone density to that of a healthy young adult.
At AMMD™, we offer tools and guidance to support you, whether you need daily maintenance or deeper therapeutic support. Our supplements are formulated with bioavailable nutrients and the right cofactors for optimal safety and efficacy.
Build a Stronger Future With Bone-Smart Nutrients
Calcium and vitamin D are still foundational for women’s health. However, these critical nutrients need to be supplemented with the right cofactors and the correct dosage to be truly effective. OsteoDura™, Liquid Vitamin D3 with K2, and Vitamin D3 + K2 Capsules offer flexible, science-backed support far beyond other calcium supplements to help protect your bones throughout midlife and beyond!
Age with confidence, resilience, and strength, from the inside out. For more ways to support longevity and healthy aging, listen to this podcast with Frank Lipman, MD.
Article Resources
Leave a Comment