Calcium is an essential mineral at every age.
Calcium is the most plentiful mineral in the human body, yet it is one of the minerals most often lacking in Americans' diets. Calcium is an essential mineral at every age. We need calcium for strong bones, a healthy heart and recent evidence indicates that calcium may also help protect against colon cancer, premenstrual syndrome, and high blood pressure. Bones and teeth make up 99% of the calcium in the body. The rest, though it would seem inconsequential, is vitally important, and is located in cells and fluid surrounding the cells.
Calcium helps control muscle contraction, communication in the nervous system, and is an important factor in blood clotting. Calcium also helps produce hormones and enzymes that assist in digestion, metabolism, and energy release. If we don't take in enough calcium through our diet, then the body pulls calcium from the bones to get what it needs. Although this may sound like an efficient machine at work, in the long run, it can lead to porous and weak bones - osteoporosis. Other factors also play a role in determining our calcium needs. Dietary ingestion of phosphorous, exposure to sunlight, protein, fat and sugar intake along with exercise all affect calcium status.
The recommended daily intake of calcium for most adults is between 1000 milligrams and 1300 milligrams daily. There is some debate as to the ¨best" source for calcium. Most would argue that dairy products are the best source. Yet there is evidence that as little as 30% of dairy may be absorbed from dairy products. Other sources of dietary calcium include dark green leafy vegetables, legumes, calcium-fortified orange juice, soy milk, rice milk, and legumes. Of the dairy products, low-fat plain yogurt ranks highest in milligrams for calcium (about 450 mg/8 ounces), followed by Ricotta cheese, non fat milk, Swiss cheese, then Cheddar cheese. Sardines and fortified orange juice again also rate high on the list. Cream cheese has virtually no calcium (unless it has been fortified), so don't let the name fool you.
If you are going to supplement calcium, one of the most important things to keep in mind is the amount of elemental calcium they contain. The term "elemental calcium" refers to the amount of calcium in a supplement that's available for your body to absorb. Most calcium supplements list the amount of elemental calcium on the label. Calcium is absorbed in small intestines. The amount of calcium absorbed depends on several things including vitamin D levels, the acidic condition in our intestines, and other hormonal factors. Calcium citrate is considered one of the most absorbable forms of calcium. Absorption happens best in an acidic environment and such is true for calcium carbonate as well. Calcium gluconate and lactate are fine, but contain lower levels of elemental calcium, so you may need more to get the dose you are looking for. Smaller doses taken throughout the day rather than one "super-dose" appears to be the most effective in terms of absorption. It's also better taken with food. Calcium supplements made from bone meal, oyster shells, or dolomite are best avoided since they may contain high levels of lead or other heavy metals.
The recommended daily intakes of calcium for younger ages are as follows:
- Infancy through one year: 250-600 milligrams (mg) of calcium daily.
- Toddlers ages 1 to 3: 500 to 800 mg of calcium daily.
- Preschoolers ages 4 to 10: 600 to 800 mg per day.
- Teens require 700 mg to 1200 mg of calcium per day.
If you are considering supplementing with calcium, talk to your doctor or nutritionist to determine the appropriate dose. Also, be aware that calcium may interfere with some prescription medications including antibiotics and thiazide diuretics. Definitely consult your prescribing physician or pharmacy before supplementing calcium if you are on prescription medication. Also, individuals with thyroid or kidney disease must consult their doctor prior to taking calcium supplements.
Finally, if you're looking to use calcium as a weight loss supplement, you may want to rethink that strategy. A recent review of studies shows that calcium alone is simply not an effective weight loss strategy.
