Nice Bones Calcium, Magnesium & Vitamin D2 – Healthy Bone Support | 60 Tablets
Nice Bones is a daily bone supplement with 1,200 mg of calcium (carbonate, citrate, aspartate), 600 mg of magnesium (oxide, citrate, aspartate) and 25 mcg (1,000 IU) of vitamin D as ergocalciferol (D2) in every 3-tablet serving. Each bottle holds 60 vegetarian tablets, or 20 servings. Together, these three nutrients help maintain healthy bones and support normal calcium absorption.†
Nice Bones is for adults who want the three bone basics in one bottle instead of three, which is the idea behind the "Single Bottle Solution" printed on our labels. It fits people in their 30s and 40s building habits for the decades ahead, and people over 50 who plan to keep hiking, lifting and carrying their own groceries.
Your skeleton isn't a finished project. Bone is broken down and rebuilt all the time, and it doubles as your body's calcium bank: more than 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth, according to the NIH calcium fact sheet. Aging isn't optional. Getting old is. Keeping that bank funded is one simple, unglamorous part of adding life to your years.
Why people take Nice Bones
- Supplies 1,200 mg of calcium, the main mineral in bones and teeth, to help maintain healthy bones.†
- Adds 600 mg of magnesium, a mineral your bones store and your body uses to build bone structure.†
- Includes 25 mcg (1,000 IU) of vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium from food and supplements.†
- Supports normal muscle and nerve function, two jobs calcium and magnesium share.†
What's in each serving
| Ingredient | Amount per serving | % Daily Value |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamin D (ergocalciferol) | 25 mcg | 125% |
| Calcium (carbonate, citrate, aspartate) | 1,200 mg | 92% |
| Magnesium (oxide, citrate, aspartate) | 600 mg | 142% |
Serving size: 3 vegetarian tablets. Servings per container: 20. Other ingredients: Cellulose, acacia, magnesium stearate, silica, and vegetable stearate. The label states: "NO soy, salt, yeast, gluten, milk & egg products, sugar, starch, or preservatives." It also says the tablets are processed with plant cellulose under the Sol-U-Tab® process "assuring each tablet is completely solubilized within minutes of swallowing."
How Nice Bones works
Calcium: 1,200 mg from three forms
Calcium is the main mineral in bone, locked into a hard crystal called hydroxyapatite. Your blood, muscles and nerves need it too, and your body keeps blood calcium steady partly by drawing on what's stored in bone.
Why three forms? Calcium carbonate is 40% calcium by weight and calcium citrate is 21%, so carbonate helps fit 1,200 mg into three tablets. Carbonate absorbs best with a meal because it leans on stomach acid. Citrate leans on it less: a meta-analysis of 15 studies in 184 people found absorption from calcium citrate was about 20% to 27% higher than from calcium carbonate, both on an empty stomach and with meals. Calcium aspartate is calcium bound to aspartic acid, an amino acid. The label doesn't list how much of the 1,200 mg comes from each form, so we won't put a single absorption number on the blend.
What the research shows, straight: a review of 59 randomized trials in adults over 50 found calcium supplements raised bone mineral density by 0.7% to 1.8%. The gain showed up in the first year and didn't keep growing after that, and calcium from food did about the same. So calcium is a building material, not a shortcut, and it works alongside protein, the rest of your diet and regular movement.†
Magnesium: 600 mg from three forms
About 50% to 60% of the magnesium in your body sits in your bones. Magnesium helps build bone structure, helps move calcium across cell membranes, and works in more than 300 enzyme systems, including the ones behind normal muscle and nerve function (NIH magnesium fact sheet).†
Magnesium oxide packs the most magnesium per gram of the three forms, which helps fit 600 mg into three tablets. Citrate and aspartate are magnesium bound to citric acid and aspartic acid, and small studies summarized by the NIH found those forms are absorbed more completely than oxide. As with calcium, the label doesn't list how much comes from each form.
The research on magnesium and bone is earlier-stage than calcium's. A systematic review of studies in adults 60 and older found higher magnesium intake was linked to higher bone mineral density at the hip. Those were observational studies with too little data to say anything about other parts of the skeleton, so read it as an association, not proof that a supplement builds bone.
Vitamin D2: 25 mcg (1,000 IU)
Vitamin D helps your gut absorb calcium and keeps blood calcium and phosphate at the levels bone needs to mineralize (the NIH vitamin D fact sheet).† You can see the effect in a study in middle-aged women: calcium absorption from a 500 mg dose was 65% higher when their blood vitamin D averaged 86.5 nmol/L than when it averaged 50 nmol/L.
Nice Bones uses vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol), which comes from a non-animal source. Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is the form your skin makes from sunlight. In an 11-week trial in healthy adults aged 18 to 84, 1,000 IU a day of D2 raised blood vitamin D just as much as 1,000 IU a day of D3. A 2012 meta-analysis of head-to-head trials found D3 raised levels more overall, but the edge showed up with large, infrequent doses; with daily dosing, the difference wasn't significant. The NIH still notes that most evidence favors D3 for raising blood levels and holding them longer. If you'd rather have D3, Everyday Liquid Sunshine gives you 25 mcg of vitamin D3 in one drop.
How to take Nice Bones
The label directions: "Three tablets daily, as a dietary supplement."
Practical notes from the NIH fact sheets linked above:
- Split it up with meals. Your body absorbs calcium best in doses of 500 mg or less, and calcium carbonate absorbs best with food. One tablet with each of three meals keeps each dose at about 400 mg of calcium.
- Count your food. The upper limit for total calcium from food and supplements is 2,500 mg a day for adults 19 to 50 and 2,000 mg a day from age 51. If you eat a lot of dairy or fortified foods, add it up.
- Know the magnesium number. The upper limit for magnesium from supplements is 350 mg a day for adults, and Nice Bones gives you 600 mg at the full serving. More on that in the FAQ below.
Ask your healthcare practitioner before use if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or have a medical condition.
Don't take our word for it
- 52 years and counting. We've been making supplements in Oregon since 1974. Bones aren't the only thing we plan to keep strong.
- Verified by independent labs. ISO 17025-accredited labs check our test results.
- Every ingredient lot tested before use. Federal rules only require an identity test on incoming dietary ingredients. We test every incoming lot for identity, potency, heavy metals and microbes.
- If it misses spec, it doesn't go in a bottle. More than 99% of our tests pass, and the lots that don't are turned away.
- A certificate of analysis for every lot. Every lot of Nice Bones has its own.
Made in the USA. Made and tested in Mt. Angel, Oregon. Mt. Angel is a farm town of about 3,500 people in the Willamette Valley. Our UL-certified cGMP facility there keeps the formulators, the makers and the testers under one roof. We've been owner-run since 2017, and the owners work in the building too.
Frequently asked questions
How much calcium, magnesium and vitamin D is in Nice Bones?
Each 3-tablet serving has 1,200 mg of calcium (92% of the Daily Value), 600 mg of magnesium (142%) and 25 mcg, or 1,000 IU, of vitamin D2 (125%). Per tablet, that works out to about 400 mg of calcium and 200 mg of magnesium.
Is 600 mg of magnesium a lot?
Yes, it's on the high side: 142% of the Daily Value, and above the 350 mg a day upper limit the NIH lists for magnesium from supplements. The usual issue at higher amounts is loose stools, sometimes with nausea or cramping, and oxide is one of the forms most often linked to that. If it happens, or you already take magnesium, ask your healthcare practitioner what amount is right for you.
Why vitamin D2 instead of D3?
Nice Bones uses D2 (ergocalciferol), which is made from a non-animal source. At 1,000 IU a day, D2 kept up with D3 in the trial above, though the NIH notes that most evidence favors D3. If you want D3, Everyday Liquid Sunshine is our D3 drop.
Can I take Nice Bones with your other bone products?
Yes, with a little math. Bones + K2 adds 500 mg of calcium, 40 mg of magnesium and 25 mcg of vitamin D3 per 2-capsule serving, so check your calcium and magnesium totals against the upper limits above. The label on Strontium Bone Power says to take it 2 hours before or after calcium products, because it will interfere with calcium absorption. Check with your practitioner before stacking.
How long does a bottle last, and when will I notice a difference?
A bottle is a 20-day supply at the label's serving of three tablets a day. You won't feel your bones change, and that's normal: bone turns over slowly, and the calcium trials above measured changes after a year or more. Think steady daily use, not quick results.†
Is Nice Bones safe to take with medication?
Ask your healthcare practitioner or pharmacist first. Calcium can get in the way of how some medications are absorbed, including certain antibiotics and thyroid hormone, so the timing between doses matters (the NIH lists which medications). The same goes if you're pregnant, nursing, or have a medical condition.
Keep learning
- What "Single Bottle Solution" on our bottles means
- Calcium Citrate, 250 mg of calcium per capsule on its own
References
- Sakhaee K et al. Meta-analysis of calcium bioavailability: a comparison of calcium citrate with calcium carbonate. Am J Ther. 1999. PubMed
- Tai V et al. Calcium intake and bone mineral density: systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ. 2015. PubMed
- Groenendijk I et al. Impact of magnesium on bone health in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Bone. 2022. PubMed
- Heaney RP et al. Calcium absorption varies within the reference range for serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D. J Am Coll Nutr. 2003. PubMed
- Holick MF et al. Vitamin D2 is as effective as vitamin D3 in maintaining circulating concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2008. PubMed
- Tripkovic L et al. Comparison of vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 supplementation in raising serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D status: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Clin Nutr. 2012. PubMed
†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.
