Vegan Calcium Supplements: Getting Your Daily Dose on a Plant-Based Diet

  • By Performance Lab
  • 8 minute read
Vegan Calcium Supplements: Getting Your Daily Dose on a Plant-Based Diet

We all know about calcium. It’s an essential mineral that plays a big role in supporting healthy and strong bones and teeth.

And for most people, their knowledge of calcium doesn’t extend beyond bone health—but it has much more to offer.

From muscle contracts and nerve transmission to glandular secretions, calcium is a must - when we don’t get enough of it, health starts to deteriorate.

And while you’ve been led to believe that dairy products are the top source of calcium, there are plenty of calcium-rich alternatives for vegans and the dairy-intolerant.

The best way to get vegan calcium is through whole foods, but a vegan calcium supplement can be super handy as a backup.

So, we’re digging into the details of vegan calcium supplements and giving you everything you need to know about meeting vegan calcium intake on a vegan diet.

What Is Calcium?

The mineral for bone health: calcium. It’s one of the most well-known functions of calcium but far from the only.

More than 99% of the calcium in the body is found as calcium hydroxyapatite (Ca1062) in bones and teeth to provide strength to these tissues 1.

Circulating calcium is also essential for nerve transmission, hormone release, intracellular signaling, and regulating the contraction and dilation of muscles and blood vessels 1.

Calcium metabolism is largely controlled by parathyroid hormone (PTH) and vitamin D, which form feedback loops to ensure serum calcium levels stay within a narrow range.

When levels drop, calcium is mobilized from bone and tissue to increase serum concentrations. And although most people don’t think about vitamin D and bone health, a vitamin D deficiency drastically affects bone metabolism by reducing active calcium absorption 1.

So, boosting your intake of other essential minerals can improve calcium absorption and improve bone health.

It’s well-established that meeting calcium requirements is important for the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis, but recent studies suggest that excessive calcium intake could increase the risks of cardiovascular diseases 2.

So, while calcium supplementation may be essential and beneficial for specific populations, it’s not something to go overboard with.

That said, calcium from dietary sources generally isn’t problematic—but most people don’t get enough.

Even for vegans who aren’t consuming dairy products, there are plenty of other options:

  • Vegetables
  • Legumes
  • Meat
  • Poultry
  • Fish
  • Eggs

Would you ever guess that broccoli is a rich source of calcium? Just another reason to add it to your grocery list!

What Does Calcium Do For The Body?

While most people are familiar with calcium and bone health, let’s cover all the basics of why we need calcium, especially on a vegan diet.

Bone health

This is the staple function of calcium. As mentioned, more than 99% of calcium is stored in the body in bones and teeth as calcium hydroxyapatite, which provides strength.

Although calcium is required at all ages for bone health, intake requirements vary based on your stage in life 3. Needs increase in childhood during growth and development, for pregnant women and lactating moms, and during and after menopause.

Bone serves as a metabolic reservoir for extracellular calcium homeostasis; serum concentrations are maintained with very narrow limits by three calciotropic hormones: parathyroid hormone (PTH), 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D, and calcitonin 3.

These hormones work in a feedback loop to maintain calcium levels in the blood and maintain the strength and integrity of bone tissue.

For postmenopausal women, calcium supplements are essential to prevent postmenopausal bone loss. Because menopause is associated with a drastic drop in estrogen levels—estrogen is a central regulator of bone health—calcium helps to maintain bone strength and prevent loss of bone mass.

Calcium needs also vary based on age. Several studies have shown that calcium supplementation in postmenopausal women—usually around 1,000 mg daily—can reduce bone loss by 1–2% 4.

Nerve transmission

For a nerve signal to produce a response, there is a cascade of events that depends on sufficient concentrations of specific minerals—calcium is one.

For neurotransmitters to be released from one synaptic terminal, through the synaptic cleft, to the receiving end of another neuron, calcium channels must open 5; this process allows a nerve signal to pass between nerves and elicit action.

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However, if calcium levels aren’t sufficient, these channels can’t open, and neurotransmitters don’t make it to the other side.

As such, the nerve impulse is inhibited. And because nerve impulses control almost everything you do, maintaining calcium levels is non-negotiable.

Muscle contraction

Have you ever really thought about how muscles contract? If you’re like most people, you just move, and they automatically do—but for muscles to contract and relax, they need calcium.

Calcium triggers muscle contraction and relaxation by reacting with regulatory proteins that, in the absence of sufficient calcium, prevent actin and myosin from forming cross bridges that cause muscles to contract 6.

Hormonal secretions

Although this function is largely unknown to most people, it’s thought that an increase in cytosolic calcium concentrations triggers the release of hormones from endocrine cells, specifically insulin 7.

Research suggests that calcium signaling is crucial for the proper insulin-releasing function of β-cells in the pancreas, and calcium dysregulation can significantly impact the pancreas's function and glucose regulation 8.

Glucose acts as the primary stimulus for pancreatic β-cells and controls calcium concentration in various parts of the cell—the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), mitochondria, nucleus, cytosol, and more.

Calcium dysregulation in β-cells has been noted in several disease states, including type 2 diabetes, suggesting a direct link.

Calcium deficiency signs and symptoms

When it comes to nutrient intake, most people are concerned about the “core” nutrients: iron, vitamin D, vitamin C, omega-3s, and magnesium. But how often do we concern ourselves with trace minerals or things like calcium?

Not too often… and although excessive calcium supplementation isn’t a good thing—we’ll talk more about the dangers of over-supplementing below—too little isn’t, either.

Check out the list below for the most common signs and symptoms of a calcium deficiency:

  • Muscle cramps or spasms
  • Muscle pain
  • Numbness and tingling
  • Extreme fatigue
  • Dry skin
  • Dry, brittle nails
  • Eczema
  • Osteoporosis or osteopenia
  • Severe PMS
  • Dental problems (tooth decay, brittle teeth, irritated gums)
  • Depression

One of the biggest concerns with hypocalcemia is an increased risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia.

It’s a disease characterized by low bone mass, destruction of bone tissue, and disruption of bone microarchitecture, resulting in compromised bone strength and a high risk of bone fractures 9.

It’s one of the most common bone diseases and a major public health concern—and specific populations are at a higher risk.

Osteoporosis is more common in Caucasians, women, and older individuals and is a significant risk factor for fractures 9. But the worst part? It’s a silent disease until a fracture happens.

Under normal circumstances, cone tissue is continuously broken down and rebuilt through the processes of resorption and formation, but when the rate of resorption exceeds that of formation, bone density decreases.

But of all the factors, menopause and increasing age hit the hardest because they cause an imbalance between resorption and formation rates—and any other factors that accelerate resorption will also cause bone loss.

So, if you’re not keen on dealing with low bone density at any point in your life, ensuring you meet calcium intake requirements is important.

Should Vegans Take Calcium Supplements?

As we’ve mentioned, dairy isn’t the only concentrated source of calcium on the block.

Although it may contain the highest amounts, consuming a diet rich in vegetables and other calcium-rich foods can support proper levels and reduce the need for reliance on supplements.

And as it should go without saying, especially since excess calcium can be problematic, don’t supplement before consulting with your health professional.

But even though calcium is widely available in many foods, most studies come to the same conclusion—most vegans don’t get enough calcium 10, 11.

But a vegan diet isn’t the only thing affecting bone mineral density. Several factors could contribute to or exacerbate bone loss 12, 13:

  • Smoking
  • Low protein diets
  • Vitamin A (retinol) excess or deficiency
  • Vitamin B12 deficiency
  • Low body mass index
  • Alcohol abuse

And there are also lifestyle factors that can improve bone density:

  • Weight-bearing exercise/resistance training
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin K
  • Selenium
  • Zinc

    So, while vegan calcium supplements may not be a make-or-break deal for anyone on a vegan diet, vegans typically have lower calcium diets than meat eaters.

    Taking the steps necessary to prevent a deficiency by consuming calcium-rich vegan foods is key for optimal health and well-being--and that can start with a solid vegan calcium supplement.

    The Dangers Of Too Much Calcium (And Excessive Vegan Calcium Supplements)

    As we said before, low calcium is just as dangerous as too much calcium.

    Unlike the water-soluble vitamins excreted in the urine, high levels of specific minerals can work against you—as is the case with calcium; it's a fine line between how much calcium is enough and how much is too much.

    More and more studies are suggesting that too much calcium - primarily in the form of calcium supplements - can be a significant risk for cardiovascular health.

    And the shocking part is that there’s an increased risk with just 1,000 and 1,200 mg, the previously recommended amounts 14. But researchers also believe that it may not be just calcium that’s the problem.

    Vitamin D is needed for calcium absorption, and insufficient vitamin D intake could cause calcium to settle in the arteries instead of bones, forming plaques that interfere with blood flow and threaten the heart and brain. However, more studies are needed to confirm these effects.

    But that’s not it. Excess calcium can also cause other nasty symptoms like muscle main, mood swings, abdominal pain, and kidney stones.

    Plant-based Sources Of Calcium

    Long story short, if you’re going to get a vegan calcium supplement—as a vegan or not—ensure you’re supplementing with clinically-backed doses, like what’s in Performance Lab NutriGenesis Multi.

    Because Multi is specifically formulated for men's and women’s unique needs, there’s no one-size-fits-all model here. They’re bioidentical nutrients in precision doses for good bone health and optimal performance.

    Compared to other non-vegan calcium supplements, Multi is clean, pure, and certified vegan-friendly from top to bottom, making it the best vegan calcium supplement on the market.

    Alternatively, increase your intake of plant-based foods that are naturally rich in calcium!

    Try to incorporate these naturally calcium-rich plant foods into your diet:

    • Soy-based foods (soy milk or fortified soy milk)
    • Beans, peas, and lentils
    • White beans
    • Navy beans
    • Black beans
    • Chickpeas
    • Kidney beans
    • Lentils
    • Almonds
    • Brazil nuts
    • Sesame seeds
    • Chia seeds
    • Flax seeds
    • Amaranth
    • Teff
    • Seaweed
    • Spinach
    • Bok choy
    • Turnip greens
    • Beet greens
    • Mustard greens
    • Collard greens
    • Blackstrap molasses

    Be mindful that you also need to consume enough vitamin D alongside these plant-based calcium foods to support calcium absorption and reap all the benefits that calcium has to offer!

    References

    1. Institute of Medicine (US) Committee to Review Dietary Reference Intakes for Vitamin D and Calcium, Ross AC, Taylor CL, Yaktine AL, Del Valle HB, eds. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D. Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2011.
    2. Li K, Wang XF, Li DY, et al. The good, the bad, and the ugly of calcium supplementation: a review of calcium intake on human health. Clin Interv Aging. 2018;13:2443-2452.
    3. Flynn A. The role of dietary calcium in bone health. Proc Nutr Soc. 2003;62(4):851-858.
    4. Lamy O, Burckhardt P. Calcium revisited: part II calcium supplements and their effects. Bonekey Rep. 2014;3:579.
    5. Südhof TC. Calcium control of neurotransmitter release. Cold Spring Harb Perspect Biol. 2012;4(1):a011353.
    6. Szent-Györgyi AG. Calcium regulation of muscle contraction. Biophys J. 1975;15(7):707-723.
    7. Malaisse WJ. Role of calcium in the regulation of hormonal secretion. Horm Res. 1984;20(1):28-37.
    8. Klec C, Ziomek G, Pichler M, Malli R, Graier WF. Calcium Signaling in ß-cell Physiology and Pathology: A Revisit. Int J Mol Sci. 2019;20(24):6110.
    9. Sözen T, Özışık L, Başaran NÇ. An overview and management of osteoporosis. Eur J Rheumatol. 2017;4(1):46-56.
    10. Hansen TH, Madsen MTB, Jørgensen NR, et al. Bone turnover, calcium homeostasis, and vitamin D status in Danish vegans. Eur J Clin Nutr. 2018;72(7):1046-1054.
    11. Tong TYN, Appleby PN, Armstrong MEG, et al. Vegetarian and vegan diets and risks of total and site-specific fractures: results from the prospective EPIC-Oxford study. BMC Med. 2020;18(1):353.
    12. Föger-Samwald U, Dovjak P, Azizi-Semrad U, Kerschan-Schindl K, Pietschmann P. Osteoporosis: Pathophysiology and therapeutic options. EXCLI J. 2020;19:1017-1037.
    13. Akkawi I, Zmerly H. Osteoporosis: Current Concepts. Joints. 2018;6(2):122-127.
    14. Daly RM, Ebeling PR. Is excess calcium harmful to health? Nutrients. 2010;2(5):505-522.

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