What can you say about calcium in your ads and on your site?

The library supports 4 wordings for calcium; the strongest is “Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth” (strong, 120-1,500 mg a day). Avoid wording that names or implies a disease, a drug or a treatment, such as “Prevents or treats osteoporosis, outside FDA’s authorized calcium wording”.

Reviewed 15 October 2026

Not legal advice. This guide shows the wording that published evidence supports at a daily dose, from the sources linked below; it is not a ruling on any claim. Your own product, its form and dose, and your own evidence still need to match the wording you use.

Supported wordings

What you can say.

Strong evidenceWording 1

Claims Facts

“Helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth.”

Daily dose	120-1,500 mg a day
Support	Listed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose details	Adults 19 and older. Health Canada: 65-1,500 mg a day. EU: at least 120 mg, 15% of the 800 mg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). ODS upper limits: 2,500 mg (19-50) and 2,000 mg (51 and older).
Form	Calcium from a salt on Health Canada’s list (such as carbonate or citrate), counted as elemental calcium
Sources	Health Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Strong evidenceWording 2

Claims Facts

“Supports normal muscle function.”

Daily dose	120-1,500 mg a day
Support	Listed by Health Canada and authorized in the EU after EFSA review.
Dose details	Adults 19 and older. Health Canada: 65-1,500 mg a day. EU: at least 120 mg, 15% of the 800 mg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). ODS upper limits: 2,500 mg (19-50) and 2,000 mg (51 and older).
Form	Calcium from a salt on Health Canada’s list (such as carbonate or citrate), counted as elemental calcium
Sources	Health Canada monograph: Multi-Vitamin/Mineral Supplements Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Moderate evidenceWording 3

Claims Facts

“Supports normal blood clotting.”

Daily dose	at least 120 mg a day
Support	Authorized in the EU after EFSA review; Health Canada does not list it.
Dose details	EU: at least 120 mg, 15% of the 800 mg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). Health Canada does not list this use; its monograph allows at most 1,500 mg a day for adults.
Form	Calcium from a salt on Health Canada’s list (such as carbonate or citrate), counted as elemental calcium
Source	Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

Moderate evidenceWording 4

Claims Facts

“Supports normal energy-yielding metabolism.”

Daily dose	at least 120 mg a day
Support	Authorized in the EU after EFSA review; Health Canada does not list it.
Dose details	EU: at least 120 mg, 15% of the 800 mg EU reference value (Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011, Annex XIII). Health Canada does not list this use; its monograph allows at most 1,500 mg a day for adults.
Form	Calcium from a salt on Health Canada’s list (such as carbonate or citrate), counted as elemental calcium
Source	Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012, list of permitted health claims

How strong the evidence is

Strong evidence: At least two listed sources support it independently at a comparable dose and form, and none disagrees.
Moderate evidence: One listed source supports it as an evidence-based use at that dose, and no listed source disagrees.
Limited evidence: The only support is traditional use, the sources disagree, or the source itself calls the evidence weak.

Wordings to avoid

What to leave out.

Claims Facts

Ingredient: Calcium

Wording to avoid	Reason
“Prevents or treats osteoporosis, outside FDA’s authorized calcium wording”Names a disease. In the US, FDA’s authorized health claim (21 CFR 101.72) has set wording and conditions (see fda_health_claims).	Disease
“Lowers blood pressure, or prevents preeclampsia”Names diseases. FDA’s qualified claim on calcium and hypertension has set wording (see fda_health_claims).	Disease
“Reduces the risk of colon cancer or polyps”Names diseases.	Disease

Disease: names or implies a disease. Drug: names a drug or presents the product as one. Treatment: promises to treat, cure or prevent a condition.

Sources

Where this comes from.

All ingredient guides

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