Calcium
(for strong bones)
Yes, calcium helps your bones stay strong, but it also improves heart, muscle, and nerve function. Oddly, you must have vitamin D in your body to absorb calcium, which is why those two supplements often come together. Diet is the best way to get calcium (dairy products, leafy greens, canned fish with bones). Supplements should be your back-up plan, but should be strongly considered for people consuming a vegan diet or those with lactose intolerance or limited dairy consumption. The daily RDA for men aged 19-70 is 1,000 mg. If you take a supplement and eat calcium-laden foods, you may be overdoing it. In this case, more is not more. Too much calcium can lead to risk of kidney stones, prostate cancer, constipation, and impair the absorption of zinc and iron.