Calcium is an essential nutrient used in the body to help maintain bone mass which supports your entire body. It is also used in the heart, blood, muscles and nerves. Diets that do not include enough calcium or do not replace what the body uses cause the body to take calcium from other places, like your bones. It’s estimated that 70% of people don’t get enough calcium in their diet, and it is especially important to maintain calcium stores during weight loss.

How Much Calcium Do I Need?
A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reported the findings of 44 overweight women with an average age of 38 on a restricted-calorie diet. The women consumed the recommended calcium intake and results showed that their bone health remained normal during the weight loss.(1) The study showed that women do not lose bone density during moderate weight loss when they have adequate calcium intake.