Calcium- yes we know it is important- for bones and teeth right? But did you know that it is so important that your body will sacrifice its own non-essential skeleton to maintain the ever-necessary 1% blood serum level that is required to sustain life?
Did you know that EVERYONE over the age of 30 is losing calcium? It is unavoidable. Regardless of your sex, race, environment, occupation or economic status, you will get senile osteoporosis to some degree. It’s just how the body works.
We often think of calcium as an important mineral for kids and post-menopausal women- true. But it certainly does not stop there and if you think it does, then you are missing out on the chance to take an easy to facilitate active role in your health. By including high quality nutritional supplements and following a healthy diet plan you have the means to keep your bones strong and your calcium levels adequate.
Osteoporosis, which means “porous bones,” currently affects over 25 million Americans. Right now the expectation is that after 50, half of all women and one in eight men will eventually develop an osteoporosis related fracture. These numbers are expected to rise. This is due to substandard eating habits that have become the norm. Government surveys have revealed that 87% of teenage girls and 64% of teenage boys are not getting adequate calcium. Without the calcium necessary to build their maximum bone density, these individuals will already be starting in a bone calcium deficit when they hit their 30′s and the natural bone decalcification process begins. Not to mention the numerous contraindicated behaviors that can negatively affect calcium absorption and retention. It is from 0-35 years of age that you can make the biggest positive impact on your bone health.
What does calcium do?
Calcium, along with other minerals, is involved in vitamin function and is essential to the synthesis of hormones and enzymes. The role calcium plays is so crucial that the body has metabolic mechanisms in place to keep blood calcium serum levels constant using the bones as a calcium reservoir. 99% of the body’s calcium is in the bones coming and going in regular cycles, making bone an easy to access calcium reserve.
Calcium is also part of an essential group of electrolytes (sodium, magnesium, and potassium) responsible for controlling the sending of nerve impulses from one part of the body to another. It plays an important role in promoting muscle contraction particularly the heart muscle. Other uses of calcium include improving the tone and elasticity of our muscles and ligaments, it helps blood to clot, reduces fatty substances in the blood (including cholesterol), reinforces the immune system and displaces some toxic substances from the body. Between 250 mgs and 400 mgs of calcium are lost daily in these normal body functions. If we lose more then we absorb then calcium will be taken from the bone to maintain a 1% blood calcium serum level. This bone leeching can go on for years unrecognized.
Major contributors to calcium deficiency.
Because prevention is the best medicine, it is important to be familiar with the primary contributors to calcium depletion and poor absorption.
???Vitamin and mineral imbalance/deficiency- Such as vitamin D, K, C, B6 and folic acid, as well as the minerals magnesium, boron, manganese, zinc, copper and silicon.
It is best to address this with a quality multivitamin and mineral supplement with chelated minerals and pure ingredients.
??? High intake of phosphorus. It should be at about 1:1 with calcium; unfortunately in the US it is frequently as much as four times that of calcium.
Processed foods, meat and soft drinks are primary contributors of phosphorus in the American diet. It could be possible to ingest the required gram of calcium each day only to result in further calcium loss, as any phosphorus exceeding a gram will cause the body to pull calcium from the bones.
??? Too much protein. Protein digestion results in acid residues, which have to be neutralized by alkaline minerals like calcium. Meat is also high in phosphorus.
The adult standard for protein is 54 grams per day. This would equal a cup of cooked lentils (15gm), a cup of nonfat milk or yogurt (9), six ounces of tofu (12gm), an egg (6gm), and a two-ounce serving of halibut (12gm).
??? Too much fat. The saturated fats found in meat and dairy products combine with calcium, yielding insoluble calcium ‘soap’ which is excreted from the body.
On the other hand, unsaturated fats make calcium available for tissue use and help maintain serum levels.
??? Caffeine. Even in small amounts, caffeine interferes with normal bone remodeling and contributes to the loss of calcium through the urine.
Two cups of brewed coffee are equal to 300mg of caffeine. This amount is capable of leaching 15mg of calcium from your body.
Some people are more at risk then others. The acknowledged risk factors are:
?· Short stature
?· Slender body type
?· Small-bones
?· Fair complexion
?· Smoking
?· Excess alcohol intake
?· Low dietary calcium
?· Lack of exercise
Supplement for health.
So now you know that calcium isn’t just for bones and that it plays a crucial role in your overall health no matter your age or gender. You know that it can’t do it on its own and requires other essential nutrients to be absorbed and utilized properly. You also know that there is a great number of us that are deficient and the numbers are growing. So…
Now you can make an educated choice to supplement your daily diet with a healthy nutritional supplement that includes these essential nutrients to ensure a strong skeleton, a healthy nervous system and a fit heart.