We absolutely need calcium to maintain the health of our bones, teeth, nerves and blood vessels. However, research now suggests that getting calcium in pill form may be less effective and possibly harmful.  Many experts remain cautious about the link between supplements and an increased risk of heart attacks but feel the evidence is strong enough to play it safe and get this vital mineral from food.  Dietary calcium has not been linked to health risks.

Just because some is good doesn't mean more is better:   
Dr. JoAnn Manson, chief of preventive medicine at Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital, says the real risk is when people exceed the daily recommended intake.  "On average in the US, women get 700mg of calcium (daily) from dietary sources, so most women would need 500mg or less in calcium supplements."  I know many of us currently take 600-1200mg of calcium supplements without any consideration of our dietary intake.  It's time to talk to your doctor and possibly adjust the amount of supplementation you're consuming.

How much do we need?

How to Calculate:  Look at a food's nutritional label:
The nutritional facts label lists calcium content in a serving of food as a percentage of the Daily Value (DV) instead of milligrams.  The DV of calcium is 1000mg so if a serving of food provides 20% DV you know a serving contains 200mg.   15% would contain 150mg per serving and so forth. 

Assess your intake:
Use the chart below to estimate how much calcium, on average, you consume each day. If you fall short, add some of the following calcium-rich foods to your meals. 

  

In summary:

Understand that calcium is essential for our overall health but taking large doses of    supplements may not be effective and may even be harmful. Therefore, play it safe and get your calcium from food.  A balanced diet is the best approach. To get more calcium, add skim milk, plain yogurt, low-fat cheese, dark leafy greens, unsweetened fortified soy or plant milks and canned fish (bones included) to your diet.  Consume less than 500mg at any given time. If you can't reach your recommended daily allowance from food, then take a supplement, but don't overdo it.