The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the middle of the neck. It sits just below the larynx (voice box). The thyroid makes two hormones, called triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which control how the body uses and stores energy. The parathyroid glands are four small glands behind the thyroid. They make a hormone called parathyroid hormone, which helps control the amount of calcium in the blood.
Graphic 66834 Version 7.0
View Originalfigure 1Thyroid and parathyroid glands
The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped gland in the middle of the neck. It sits just below the larynx (voice box). The thyroid makes two hormones, called triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4), which control how the body uses and stores energy. The parathyroid glands are four small glands behind the thyroid. They make a hormone called parathyroid hormone, which helps control the amount of calcium in the blood.
Graphic 66834 Version 7.0
View OriginalFood
Calcium, milligrams
Milk (skim, 2 percent, or whole, 8 oz [240 mL])
300
Yogurt (6 oz [168 g])
250
Orange juice (with calcium, 8 oz [240 mL])
300
Tofu with calcium (1/2 cup [113 g])
435
Cheese (1 oz [28 g])
195 to 335 (hard cheese = higher calcium)
Cottage cheese (1/2 cup [113 g])
130
Ice cream or frozen yogurt (1/2 cup [113 g])
100
Soy milk (8 oz [240 mL])
300
Beans (1/2 cup cooked [113 g])
60 to 80
Dark, leafy green vegetables (1/2 cup cooked [113 g])
50 to 135
Almonds (24 whole)
70
Orange (1 medium)
60
Graphic 67824 Version 5.0
Elemental Ca/tablet
Ca compound
Vitamin D
Caltrate + D
600 mg
Carbonate
800 Units
OsCal 500
500 mg
Carbonate
OsCal 500 + D
500 mg
Carbonate
200 Units
Oscal 500 + Extra D
500 mg
Carbonate
400 Units
Oscal Ultra
600 mg
Carbonate
500 Units
Tums
200 mg
Carbonate
Tums EX
300 mg
Carbonate
Tums Ultra
400 mg
Carbonate
Citracal Ultradense Petites
200 mg
Citrate
250 Units
Citracal caplets + D
315 mg
Citrate
250 Units
Citracal 250 + D
250 mg
Citrate
200 Units
Citracal + D Slow Release
600 mg
Citrate
500 Units
Caltrate 600 + soy
600 mg
Carbonate
200 Units
Cal-100 with vitamin D
1000 mg
Carbonate
400 Units
Citracal gummy
250 mg
Tricalcium phosphate
250 Units
Viactiv plus D + K
500 mg
Carbonate
500 Units
Graphic 70454 Version 4.0
Food
International units per serving
Cod liver oil, 1 tablespoon (15 mL)
1360
Salmon (sockeye), cooked, 3 ounces (85 g)
794
Mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light to increase vitamin D, 3 ounces (85 g) (not yet commonly available)
400
Mackerel, cooked, 3 ounces (85 g)
388
Tuna fish, canned in water, drained, 3 ounces (85 g)
154
Milk, nonfat, reduced fat, and whole, vitamin D-fortified, 8 ounces (240 mL)
115 to 124
Orange juice fortified with vitamin D, 8 ounces (240 mL) (check product labels, as amount of added vitamin D varies)
100
Yogurt, fortified with 20 percent of the DV for vitamin D, 6 ounces (180 mL) (more heavily fortified yogurts provide more of the DV)
80
Margarine, fortified, 1 tablespoon (15 g)
60
Sardines, canned in oil, drained, 2 sardines
46
Liver, beef, cooked, 3.5 ounces (100 g)
46
Ready-to-eat cereal, fortified with 10 percent of the DV for vitamin D, 6 to 8 ounces (227 g) (more heavily fortified cereals might provide more of the DV)
40
Egg, 1 whole (vitamin D is found in yolk)
25
Cheese, Swiss, 1 ounce (29 g)
6
In the United States, reference values are listed on food labels as a percentage of DVs (%DV), based on a 2000 calorie daily energy intake.