The role of Calcium and Vitamin D

Deficit in the Diet

The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) found that older adults in Ireland consume an average of 2.1 daily servings of calcium (560 mg) compared with the recommended 3 servings.¹ ²

Overall, 17 % of older adults in Ireland comply with the recommended 3 daily servings of milk, yoghurt and cheese, with 70 % consuming less than this.

In osteoporosis, a daily intake of 1000 mg of calcium is recommended.³

Cadelius 600 mg can help make up this deficit.⁴

The role of Calcium and Vitamin D

How much Calcium & Vitamin D do we need?

Vitamin D is measured by serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25-(OH)D), which has a half-life of 3–6 weeks.⁵ ⁶ ⁷

Vitamin D deficiency is common among older Irish adults. Results from the 2017 TILDA study show a 13.1 % prevalence of deficiency in this age group (1 in 8).⁸

The Royal Osteoporosis Society (UK) reference levels should be adopted by healthcare professionals.⁹

The British Skin Foundation also notes that sunlight is a key source of vitamin D.¹⁰

Calcium is maintained in the 8.5–10.5 mg/dL range, though laboratory reference intervals may vary by ± 0.5 mg/dL.¹¹

Calcium and Vitamin D supplements are recommended for anyone who is unable to obtain the daily recommended amounts through food.⁴

UK National Osteoporosis Guidelines Group
If a patient is prescribed an osteoporosis medication, they may benefit from increasing daily calcium intake to around 1000 mg.³

References

  1. Irish Longitudinal Study of Ageing. Consumption patterns and adherence to the food pyramid. Page 98.
    https://tilda.tcd.ie/publications/reports/pdf/w3-key-findings-report/TILDA%20Wave%203%20Key%20Findings%20report.pdf Accessed September 2025

  2. The Irish Osteoporosis Society. Nutrition and Bone Health. https://www.irishosteoporosis.ie/information-support/nutrition-bone-health/ Accessed September 2025

  3. The Royal Osteoporosis Society. Information and Support – Nutrition for Bones – Calcium. https://theros.org.uk/information-and-support/bone-health/nutrition-for-bones/calcium/ Accessed July 2025

  4. Consilient Health. Cadelius 600 mg / 1000 IU Summary of Product Characteristics. https://www.medicines.ie Accessed September 2025

  5. Nair R, Maseeh A. Vitamin D: The “sunshine” vitamin. J Pharmacology & Pharmacotherapeutics. 2012; 3(2): 118–126.

  6. Hirsch A L. Vitamin D. In: Kirk-Othmer Encyclopedia of Chemical Technology. 2000.

  7. Holick M F. Vitamin D: A D-LIGHTFUL Solution for Health. J Investigative Medicine. 2011; 59(6): 872–880.

  8. Laird E et al. Prevalence and determinants of Vitamin D deficiency and 25(OH)D concentration in older Irish adults: Data from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA). J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2017 Sep 2.

  9. The Royal Osteoporosis Society. Vitamin D and Bone Health: A Practical Clinical Guideline for Patient Management. December 2018.

  10. The British Skin Foundation. Sunlight and Vitamin D. https://www.britishskinfoundation.org.uk/sunlight-and-vitamin-d Accessed July 2025

  11. Tietz N W, Pruden E L, Siggaard-Andersen O et al. Clinical Methods: The History, Physical, and Laboratory Examinations. 3rd ed. Boston: Butterworths; 1990.

IE-CH-1518(1) November 2025

Adverse events should be reported. Reporting forms and information are available from HPRA Pharmacovigilance on the HPRA website www.hpra.ie.

Adverse events should also be reported to Consilient Health at drugsafety@consilienthealth.com or 012057766.

The information on this website is intended for Healthcare Professionals who practice in the Republic of Ireland only.