The use of calcium lactate pentahydrate (CLP) as an additional filler-binder for direct compaction of tablets has been reported to result in a short disintegration time and rapid drug release. The aim of this study was to understand the dehydration and hydration behavior of CLP and calcium lactate anhydrate (CLA) under various conditions of storage temperature and relative humidity. The removal and acquisition of crystal water were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA), powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The PXRD results indicated that CLP exists as a crystalline solid and CLA as an amorphous solid. Dehydration of CLP resulted in aggregated particles of CLA with an increase in average particle size. The dehydration and hydration kinetics of CLP were analyzed with the Hancock-Sharp equation on the basis of the isothermal DSC data. The dehydration of CLP followed a zero-order mechanism (Polany-Winger equation). In contrast, the surface roughness of CLA was significantly decreased by hydration. The hydration of CLA followed a three-dimensional diffusion model (Ginstling-Brounshtein equation).