Home Ingredients GivoCal® (Calcium)
Bone Health

GivoCal® (Calcium)

Evidence Level
Strong
1 Clinical Trial
3 Documented Benefits
4/5 Evidence Score

GivoCal® is a calcium ingredient for bone-health supplements and foods. Calcium is the body's main bone-building mineral, supporting bone strength and maintenance throughout life, especially with vitamin D.

Studied Dose Commonly 500 to 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day.
Active Compound Calcium (often with vitamin D and trace minerals for bone support).

Benefits

Bone strength

Calcium is the main structural mineral of bone; with vitamin D, supplementation supports bone mineral density and reduces bone loss.

Supported by Trial 1

Bone maintenance with age

Adequate calcium intake is essential throughout life to maintain a strong skeleton and reduce age-related bone loss.

Supported by Trial 1

Muscle and nerve support

Calcium also supports normal muscle contraction and nerve signaling.

Supported by Trial 1

Mechanism of action

1

Bone mineralization

Calcium combines with phosphate to form the hydroxyapatite crystals that give bone its hardness and strength.

2

Calcium homeostasis

The body tightly regulates blood calcium; adequate intake spares calcium from being drawn out of bone.

Clinical trials

1
Calcium and Vitamin D for Bone — Meta-Analysis
PubMed

Systematic review and meta-analysis of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation on bone in postmenopausal women. (Liu et al. 2020, Food and Function)

Postmenopausal women across trials.

Combined calcium and vitamin D supported bone mineral density and reduced bone loss versus control.

Side effects and drug interactions

Common Potential side effects

Constipation, gas, or bloating can occur.
Take in divided doses (500 mg or less at a time) for best absorption.
Very high intake may raise kidney-stone risk in susceptible people.
Some analyses have associated high-dose calcium supplements, especially without vitamin D, with a possible modest increase in cardiovascular risk; it is preferable to get calcium from diet where possible and not exceed recommended intake.

Important Drug interactions

Antibiotics (tetracyclines, quinolones), thyroid medication, and bisphosphonates — separate by 2 to 4 hours.
Thiazide diuretics — monitor calcium levels.
Tell your doctor about all medications and your total calcium intake.

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Frequently asked questions about GivoCal® (Calcium)

What is GivoCal?

GivoCal® is a calcium ingredient for bone-health supplements and foods. Calcium is the body's main bone-building mineral, supporting bone strength and maintenance throughout life, especially with vitamin D.

What is GivoCal used for?

GivoCal is researched primarily for Bone Health. Calcium is the main structural mineral of bone; with vitamin D, supplementation supports bone mineral density and reduces bone loss.

What is the recommended dosage of GivoCal?

The clinically studied dose is Commonly 500 to 1200 mg of elemental calcium per day. Always follow the product label and check with a healthcare provider for personal advice.

Is GivoCal safe, and does it have side effects?

For most healthy adults, GivoCal is well tolerated at studied doses. Reported effects can include: Constipation, gas, or bloating can occur. Take in divided doses (500 mg or less at a time) for best absorption. It may also interact with some medications. GivoCal is not right for everyone, so check with a healthcare provider first if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a medical condition, or take prescription medication.

Does GivoCal interact with any medications?

Possible interactions include: Antibiotics (tetracyclines, quinolones), thyroid medication, and bisphosphonates — separate by 2 to 4 hours. Thiazide diuretics — monitor calcium levels. If you take prescription medication, check with a pharmacist or doctor before using it.

How strong is the scientific evidence for GivoCal?

NutraSmarts rates the evidence for GivoCal as Strong (4 out of 5). It is backed by 1 clinical trial and 1 cited reference summarized on this page. A higher rating reflects more, larger, and better-designed human studies.

References(1 citations)

Evidence ratings on NutraSmarts are based on the totality of human clinical research, with emphasis on randomized controlled trials, meta-analyses, and systematic reviews. The references below directly support claims made throughout this page.

  1. Liu C, Kuang X, Li K, et al. Effects of combined calcium and vitamin D supplementation on osteoporosis in postmenopausal women: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Food Funct. 2020;11(12):10817-10827..PubMedUsed to support: Meta-analysis supporting bone benefit of calcium (the mineral in this branded calcium).