N
The Global Insight

Is Caltrate a vitamin D

Author

William Harris

Updated on April 21, 2026

Caltrate 600+D3 offers the highest level of vitamin D3† to help maximize calcium absorption and support healthy bones, joints and muscles* – so you can live life to the fullest. Sufficient calcium & vitamin D as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Is calcium D the same as vitamin D?

Calcium and vitamin D work together to protect your bones—calcium helps build and maintain bones, while vitamin D helps your body effectively absorb calcium.

What are the benefits of taking Caltrate?

It is used to help growth and good health. It is used to prevent or treat soft, brittle bones (osteoporosis). It is used to treat or prevent low calcium levels.

Can I take Caltrate everyday?

For Caltrate 600+D3 and Caltrate 600+D3 Plus Minerals, take one tablet or chewable tablet up to two times daily with food or as directed by your physician.

Does Caltrate Plus have vitamin D?

Each film coated tablet contains: Cholecalciferol (Vitamin D3) 200 IU, Calcium (as Calcium Carbonate) 600 mg, Magnesium (as Magnesium Oxide) 50 mg, Zinc (as Zinc Oxide) 7.5 mg, Manganese (as Manganese Sulfate Monohydrate) 1.8 mg, Copper (as Cupric Oxide) 1 mg.

Can I take vitamin D without calcium?

EVIDENCE-BASED ANSWER: Vitamin D supplementation, with or without calcium, doesn’t affect mortality.

Is Caltrate the same as calcium?

Caltrate contains calcium carbonate, the most concentrated form of calcium available. Calcium supplements are generally made with one of two sources of elemental calcium: either calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.

What is the side effect of Caltrate?

Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if any of these unlikely but serious side effects occur: nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, unusual weight loss, mental/mood changes, bone/muscle pain, headache, increased thirst/urination, weakness, unusual tiredness.

What is the best time to take Caltrate?

  • Adults: Take 1 tablet once or twice daily with liquid after a meal, as directed by a healthcare professional;
  • If taking twice daily, take each tablet at a different mealtime;
  • Do not exceed the recommended dose;
  • Store below 25oC;
  • Keep out of reach of children.
What is the generic name for Caltrate?

calcium carbonate (Caltrate 600, Os-Cal 500, Tums)

Article first time published on

What is the difference between Caltrate and citrate?

Citracal is less calcium-dense than Caltrate. Calcium citrate contains 21 percent calcium by weight. Two Citracal Regular tablets contain about 2,380 mg of calcium citrate, which yields 500 mg of elemental calcium. Citracal Regular also contains 400 IU of vitamin D to help your body use calcium more efficiently.

Is taking calcium bad for your heart?

After analyzing 10 years of medical tests on more than 2,700 people in a federally funded heart disease study, researchers at Johns Hopkins Medicine and elsewhere conclude that taking calcium in the form of supplements may raise the risk of plaque buildup in arteries and heart damage, although a diet high in calcium- …

What are the side effects of taking calcium with vitamin D?

  • nausea, vomiting, constipation;
  • increased thirst or urination;
  • muscle weakness, bone pain; or.
  • confusion, lack of energy, or feeling tired.

Is vitamin D and D3 the same?

There are two possible forms of vitamin D in the human body: vitamin D2 and vitamin D3. Both D2 and D3 are simply called “vitamin D,” so there’s no meaningful difference between vitamin D3 and just vitamin D.

What vitamins are in Caltrate?

Calcium 60%Vitamin D 100%Manganese 90%Zinc 50%Boron

Which calcium with vitamin D supplement is best?

Each has benefits and downsides. Calcium carbonate supplements tends to be the best value, because they contain the highest amount of elemental calcium (about 40% by weight). Because calcium carbonate requires stomach acid for absorption, it’s best to take this product with food.

Can I take Centrum and Caltrate together?

No interactions were found between Caltrate and Centrum Silver. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

Can I take Caltrate and vitamin C together?

Interactions between your drugs No interactions were found between Caltrate 600+D and Vitamin C. This does not necessarily mean no interactions exist. Always consult your healthcare provider.

What time of day is best to take calcium and vitamin D?

Many people prefer to take supplements such as vitamin D first thing in the morning. Not only is it often more convenient, but it’s also easier to remember your vitamins in the morning than later in the day.

What vitamins should not be taken together?

  • Vitamin C with vitamin B-12.
  • Vitamin A supplement with vitamin A-rich foods.
  • Folic acid (vitamin B9) and vitamin B12.
  • Vitamin E and vitamin K.

How much vitamin D should I take?

The Vitamin D Council recommends that healthy adults take 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily — more if they get little or no sun exposure. There’s evidence that people with a lot of body fat need more vitamin D than lean people.

What medications should not be taken with calcium?

Don’t take calcium tablets with foods high in calcium (mainly dairy foods) or with antacids containing aluminum or magnesium, or mineral oil, or stimulant laxatives. If you do, you can kiss that calcium goodbye.

Should senior citizens take calcium?

Too little calcium can lead to osteoporosis. The body also requires vitamin D to absorb calcium. The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that women aged 50 or younger and men 70 or younger should get 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium per day. Men and women older than that should get 1,200 mg daily.

Does taking calcium at night help you sleep?

William Sears, M.D. writes: “Calcium helps the brain use the amino acid tryptophan to manufacture the sleep-inducing substance melatonin. This explains why dairy products, which contain both tryptophan and calcium, are one of the top sleep-inducing foods.”

Does Caltrate make you constipated?

Constipation or stomach upset may occur. If any of these effects persist or worsen, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly. If your doctor has directed you to use this medication, remember that your doctor has judged that the benefit to you is greater than the risk of side effects.

Can calcium make you gain weight?

They found that dietary calcium supplementation produced a dose-related diminution in weight gain and fat mass. In these studies, high calcium intakes were found to be associated with reduced adipocyte fatty acid synthase activity and increases in lipolysis (28).

How many mg are in Caltrate?

Each Caltrate PLUS tablet contains: 600 mg calcium (calcium carbonate) 800 IU vitamin D (cholecalciferol) 20 mcg vitamin K1. 50 mg magnesium (magnesium oxide)

What Caltrate means?

Caltrate is a brand name calcium supplement sold by Pfizer Consumer Healthcare (Formerly Wyeth sold in 2009) and in Japan by Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical. The Caltrate brand is supplied in many different formulas; calcium carbonate (NOT calcium citrate) is the common ingredient serving as the calcium supplement source.

Is Caltrate a good calcium supplement?

Caltrate 600+D3 offers the highest level of vitamin D3† to help maximize calcium absorption and support healthy bones, joints and muscles* – so you can live life to the fullest. Sufficient calcium & vitamin D as part of a healthy diet may reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

What happens if you take too much calcium?

Too much calcium in your blood can weaken your bones, create kidney stones, and interfere with how your heart and brain work. Hypercalcemia is usually a result of overactive parathyroid glands.

How much calcium and vitamin D should I take for osteoporosis?

Based upon the meta-analyses discussed below, we suggest 1200 mg of calcium (total of diet and supplement) and 800 international units of vitamin D daily for postmenopausal osteoporosis.