Calcium with colecalciferol is a mineral and vitamin D supplement.

It promotes bone strength and helps to prevent ‘thinning’ of the bones (osteoporosis).

Make sure you know how to take the preparation you have been given. Some brands of tablets are swallowed with water, others are chewable, and others are dissolved in water. The contents of sachets should be mixed into water before taking. Read the label carefully, and if you are still unsure what to do, ask your pharmacist for advice.

Calcium and vitamin D are both important for healthy, strong bones. Colecalciferol is a type of vitamin D. Vitamin D is mostly made in your skin by exposure to sunlight, but you also get some from your diet. Foods that contain colecalciferol are oily fish (such as sardine, herring, salmon and tuna) and eggs. Your body needs adequate supplies of vitamin D in order for it to absorb the calcium that you eat or drink in your diet.

A mild lack of vitamin D may not cause symptoms, but it can cause general aches and pains. It can also result in an increased risk of ‘thinning’ of the bones (osteoporosis). A more severe lack of vitamin D can result in your bones softening. This causes problems such as rickets in children and osteomalacia in adults.

If you are at risk of vitamin D deficiency, you will be recommended to take a vitamin D supplement such as calcium and colecalciferol routinely. These tablets/sachets are available on prescription or you can buy them at pharmacies, without a prescription.