Milk vs. Calcium Supplement

Before counting calories, I was drinking my 3 cups of milk a day and getting all my calcium from that.  Then I dropped it to 1 and started taking a calcium supplement.  I drink the milk with my protein powder after workouts.  Now I'm considering dropping the milk altogether to free up those calories, and using the OJ that I already drink every morning in place of the milk, combining it with the protein powder so I don't have to mix that stuff with water, yuck, and of course supplementing with my calcium vitamin.  The milk I drink is skim milk, and I would only be freeing up about 90 calories, but it would actually be a big help to keep me at 1500-1600 calories a day.

My biggest concern...
As a woman I know the importance of calcium, and would like to know if a calcium supplement is enough (I do eat other dairy also, including cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt, but not in large amounts).  I'm not a fan of milk, so if I don't have to drink it at all and still get all my calcium from a supplement that would be ideal, but that seems too easy.

I would like to get some feedback, pros, cons, experience with either, etc.  What are your favorite calcium supplements?  I currently take Dr. Weil's Cal-Mag, and it doesn't matter to me if they aren't easy to swallow, I can handle them.  I would love to know what others are finding works best though, I just want to make sure I'm getting enough calcium if I drop milk.

Thanks!
Kim

I am lactose intolerant so I take a calcium supplement also.  Calcium does need a bit of help getting into your system so it is best to get a calcium supplement that has Vitamin D and magnessium in it.  RDA for most women is 1000 a day.  You can't absorb that much at once though so it is recommended that you take it split in two doses.

Also have you considered using the OJ with calcium added?  Honestly I don't like it, but I know some people can't tell a difference.

I have a multivitamin that supplies the vitamin D, and the calcium I take does have the mag because my multi doesn't, so I've made sure there was the correct balance there.  I always take with meals too, twice a day.

I've tried the calcium OJ, yuck.  I like my OJ nice and chunky and you just can't get that with the calcium kind!  And I can drink the concentrated either, growing up in FL has ruined me for anything but non-concentrate, I like Tropicana w/lots of pulp.

Thanks!
Kim

kory's right:  calcium needs magnesium to help your body absorb it.

Yes, and like I said, I DO take the calcium with magnesium.

No calcium requires vitamin D for absorption.  You just need a certain amount of magnesium in your system so that it doesn't get excreted in the kidneys in excess.  In the body they just happen to travel in the same direction.  Calcium transport / absorption in your intestines is activated by vitamin D.

tv4184 is right...

 and fun fact - countries with higher rates of consumption of milk have the highest rates of osteoporosis.  Studies have suggested that the protein in milk actually leaches calcium from your bones.  There are tons of other sources of calcium, such as green vegetables like broccoli.