The Importance of Calcium for Growth

Written by Kathryn Holt. Registered Dietitian.
Lakeside RD, Custom Nutrition and Counseling

Calcium is a foundational mineral during infancy and childhood, and is a primary building block for a rapidly growing skeletal system. It is crucial in the first year of life as it plays a major role in supporting bone and tooth structure, aids in nerve and muscle function, and is important for many other cellular activities- like blood clotting for scrapes or cuts in toddlerhood. Since our bodies cannot produce calcium on their own, we must obtain it through our diet. Without adequate calcium intake, the bodies’ bone development can be compromised, increasing the risk of weakened bones and conditions such as osteoporosis later in life, which can lead to falls and fractures.

When Calcium Matters

Calcium needs are especially high during pregnancy, infancy, and early childhood because these are periods of rapid growth and bone development. During the first year of life, breast milk or infant formula remains the primary source of nutrition and provides important nutrients, including calcium, to support healthy growth and development. As your baby transitions to solid foods, it is important to continue offering breast milk or infant formula until at least one year of age. To help support their growing nutritional needs, gradually incorporate calcium-rich foods, such as yogurt and cheese.

Standard infant formula, in addition to the appropriate fat, protein and vitamin requirements, is designed to provide adequate calcium for infants to support healthy growth and bone development, as long as your baby has an adequate intake. After this, toddler formula may be introduced, or whole milk, if there are no concerns for allergies. As children grow, their calcium needs increase. Toddler formulas are formulated with higher calcium levels than infant formulas to help meet these evolving nutritional requirements during a period of continued bone growth, particularly for toddlers whose diets may not yet consistently provide enough calcium-rich foods.

Meeting calcium needs can certainly be achieved with a well-balanced diet containing calcium-rich foods and usually doesn’t require additional supplementation for most children. For young children, this may include approximately 2–4 servings of dairy products per day, depending on age, dietary habits, and individual nutritional needs.

The balance of calcium and phosphorus is another key factor in supporting healthy bone development. Together, these minerals work to promote proper bone mineralization and skeletal growth throughout infancy. While the ratio of these nutrients is carefully balanced in infant formula, it can become more difficult to monitor as solid foods are introduced, and the diet becomes more varied. Fortunately, parents can be reassured that their baby is receiving a variety of nutrients by offering foods from multiple food groups as part of a balanced diet.

It is also important to consider that vitamin and mineral absorption is impacted by certain medical conditions or gut integrity based on age (ie. premature children). If this applies to your child, be sure to address it with your team of health care professionals. 

Calcium through Diet or Supplementation?

Supplementing calcium may be important for those with concerns for allergy or intolerance to dairy as this is the main source of intake for many. Fortunately, there are a variety of non-dairy sources of calcium, including fortified plant-based milks, calcium-fortified orange juice, leafy greens (such as kale and bok choy), broccoli, beans, lentils, almonds, tofu, and some canned fish. It may be important to seek support for long term health if your child has a history of allergy or intolerance. 

What Affects Calcium Absorption?

Factors that may affect calcium absorption include vitamin D deficiency, high intakes of fiber or wheat bran, allergies, and picky eating habits. Vitamin D helps to regulate the calcium in our blood and supports calcium absorption from our intestine. If we are limiting sun exposure, we can supplement this vitamin and choose foods with higher vitamin D content like fish or fortified milk. Sources of dietary vitamin D are limited, so supplementation is often recommended, particularly for infants and individuals living in Canada, where sunlight exposure may be insufficient for much of the year.

Too much calcium is rarely a problem, unless supplementing in higher doses. Side effects may include excessive urination, nausea, vomiting or constipation. It is always important to offer a variety of foods and dairy products to young children to prevent excessive milk intake as well.

Building Strong Foundations

When considering the calcium needs for infants or toddlers, remember its importance in child growth and ensure your child gets enough of this key nutrient. Its significant role in healthy child development cannot be overstated, and because our bodies cannot make it on its own, meeting daily requirements through diet or supplementation remains imperative for everyone.  

References

Abrams, SA. 2021. Vitamin D and bone minerals in neonates. Early human development. 

Deweym, KG. 2001. Nutrition, growth and complementary feeding of the breastfed infant. Ped Clinics of North America.

Fuchs, GJ, Abrams, SA, Amevor AA. Older infant-young child formulas. Pediatrics.

Ross, AC, Manson, JE, Abrams, SA. 2011. Report on dietary reference intakes for calcium and vitamin D from the Institute of Medicine: What clinicians need to know. Journal of Clin Endo and Metabolism. 

Shertukde, SP, Cahoon, DS, Prado, B, Cara C. 2022. Calcium intake and metabolism in infants and young children: A Systemic review of balance studies for supporting the development of calcium requirements. Advances in Nutrition. 

Willett WC, Ludwig, DS. 2020. Milk and Health. New England Journal of Medicine.

     Kathryn Holt 
     Registered Dietitian
     Lakeside RD, Custom Nutrition and Counseling
     https://lakesidecustomnutrition.com/