Nature Made Calcium 600 mg with Vitamin D3 Review
#9 of 9 · Calcium + D3 for bone✓ Label verified · Supplement Facts read Oct 15, 2026Real retailer photo, cut out. Label unedited.
Consider it. The WHI pairing in one tablet, for women short on dietary calcium. Calcium carbonate with D3, tested by USP and cheap.
$14.36 · 220 tablets (Amazon US, Oct 15, 2026)$0.07 per tablet
Why It Scores 7.7 — And The Label Line Behind Each Number
Form / bioavailability
30% of scoreVitamin D3 (cholecalciferol), the better-absorbed form (Tripkovic 2012), in a calcium carbonate tablet. Carbonate is about 40% calcium and absorbs best with food.
- Form
- Calcium carbonate + vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) tablet
- Other ingredients
- Cellulose gel, hypromellose, maltodextrin, croscarmellose sodium, polyethylene glycol, magnesium stearate
Dose accuracy + K2 cofactor
25% of score400 IU D3 and 600 mg calcium per tablet, as printed; the label allows one or two a day. The D3 dose is low for raising vitamin D on its own, and there is no K2.
- Per tablet
- 600 mg calcium, 10 mcg (400 IU) D3
Third-party testing
20% of scoreUSP Verified. The label carries the mark, and USP's own directory lists Nature Made Calcium 600 mg with Vitamin D3 Tablets (checked Oct 15, 2026).
- Testing
- USP Verified (in USP's directory, checked Oct 15, 2026)
Cost per IU per month
15% of score$14.36 for 220 tablets on Oct 15, 2026: about 7 cents a tablet. Cheap for the calcium; expensive per IU if you only want vitamin D.
- Servings
- 220 tablets
- Price
- $14.36 for 220 tablets (Amazon US, Oct 15, 2026)
- Cost per tablet
- $0.07
Real-world response
10% of scoreLarge tablet. Calcium carbonate can cause constipation or bloating in some people; taking it with a meal helps.
- More Specs
- Suggested use
- 1 tablet 1 to 2 times a day with water and a meal
Label verified. Every figure read from the Supplement Facts photo, Oct 15, 2026.
Marketing Claims Vs. Reality
Helps support strong bones.
In the WHI trial, 1,000 mg calcium plus 400 IU D3 a day raised hip bone density by about 1% versus placebo over seven years (Jackson 2006).
May reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
This is an FDA-permitted health claim for adequate calcium and vitamin D. In the WHI trial, fractures were not significantly reduced overall, though they were in women who kept taking the tablets.
Vitamin D3 improves calcium absorption.
Vitamin D is required for active calcium absorption in the gut.
What Our Test Actually Found
What the big trial found
In 36,282 postmenopausal women, calcium plus D3 gave a small but significant gain in hip bone density and no significant drop in hip or total fractures in the main analysis. Among women who kept taking it, hip fracture risk was lower (Jackson 2006).
Kidney stones are the trade-off
The same trial found 17% more kidney stones with calcium plus D3. Count the calcium you already get from dairy and other foods, and supplement only the gap.
Not the right buy for vitamin D alone
At 400 IU per tablet, you would need several tablets to reach common vitamin D doses, and with them too much calcium. If calcium is not your issue, choose a plain D3.
Full analysis: all pros & cons (8), buy if / skip if
- USP Verified, confirmed by USP
- Calcium and D3 in one tablet
- About 7 cents a tablet
- No colors or artificial flavors
- Only 400 IU D3 per tablet
- No K2
- Large tablet; carbonate can constipate
- More kidney stones with calcium + D3 in WHI
- You are past menopause and get little calcium from food
- You want calcium and D3 in one USP-verified tablet
- You take it with meals (carbonate needs stomach acid)
- You already eat or drink 1,000 mg or more of calcium a day
- You have had kidney stones: ask your doctor first
- You want vitamin D alone at a higher dose: a 1,000 to 2,000 IU D3 is the better buy
Calcium carbonate with D3, tested by USP and cheap. Useful if your diet is low in calcium. The D3 dose is low, the trial results were modest, and too much calcium raises kidney stone risk.
For women after menopause, the question is often calcium plus vitamin D rather than vitamin D alone. This tablet holds 600 mg of calcium as calcium carbonate and 400 IU of D3, close to the combination tested in 36,282 postmenopausal women in the Women's Health Initiative: 1,000 mg calcium and 400 IU D3 a day (Jackson 2006). That trial found a small gain in hip bone density, no significant drop in fractures overall, and more kidney stones. So this is a product for women who do not get enough calcium from food, not something to add on top of a calcium-rich diet. It is USP Verified, which we confirmed in USP's directory.
Buy it to fill a calcium gap, not for vitamin D
Take one tablet with a meal if your diet is short on calcium; take a second only if your total intake stays under about 1,200 mg a day. If you have had kidney stones or take thyroid medication or certain antibiotics, talk to your doctor first, because calcium can interfere with their absorption.
If This Doesn’t Fit — Try These
05SR Vegan D3 + K2
For vegetarian and vegan women this is the D3 + K2 pick.
08Nature Made Vitamin D3 2,000 IU
Consider this only if you're buying offline (CVS, Walgreens, Costco) and want the most-tested mass-market option.
06Nordic Naturals Vitamin D3 1,000 IU
Promoted on a women's list because pregnancy and preconception are exactly where the obstetric-consensus 1,000-2,000 IU/day range matters — and 5,000 IU repletion bottles are the wrong tool for that phase.
Quick Answers
Should women take calcium with vitamin D?
Only to fill a gap. If your diet already gives you about 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium, extra calcium adds kidney stone risk without much benefit (Jackson 2006).
Is Nature Made Calcium with D3 USP verified?
Yes. It is listed in USP's directory of verified products (checked Oct 15, 2026).
When should I take calcium carbonate?
With a meal, because carbonate needs stomach acid to dissolve. Split doses above 500 to 600 mg.
Is 400 IU of vitamin D enough?
It is below the usual 600 to 800 IU recommendation for adults and low if your level is deficient. Many women take a separate D3 for that reason.
Sources & Further Reading
2 peer-reviewed sources, each linked to PubMed
- [1] Jackson 2006 PMID 16481635 — Calcium plus vitamin D supplementation and the risk of fractures. 36,282 postmenopausal women took 1,000 mg calcium (carbonate) plus 400 IU D3 a day or placebo for about seven years. Hip bone density was 1.06% higher; hip fracture hazard ratio 0.88 (not significant), 0.71 among adherent women; kidney stones rose (hazard ratio 1.17).
- [2] Tripkovic 2012 PMID 22552031 — Comparison of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Meta-analysis of randomized trials comparing vitamin D2 and D3: D3 raised serum 25(OH)D more effectively than D2.
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