Tag archive for » Calcium Intake «

How Calcium Can Aid Your Health

Thursday, 10. December 2009 7:23

Calcium should be a very important part of your daily diet. If you do not absorb a sufficient amount of calcium into your body, then in the long run it can cause problems with bone and tooth growth and formation.

At one point in time, it was thought that too much calcium intake would contribute to the formation of kidney stones. Now studies have shown that high calcium intake can actually decrease the formation of kidney stones. However, this does not mean you should go overboard and add a large amount of products with calcium to your diet – this can actually hurt your body. It can cause hypocalcaemia, reduce the absorption of other minerals and compromise your kidney function.

You should also be sure that along with ensuring that you have a sufficient amount of calcium in your diet, that you also include Vitamin D, which helps the body absorb the calcium.

How should you get the calcium that you require? Dairy products are known for the amount of calcium they have. Milk also has vitamin D to help absorb the calcium.

Unfortunately, much of the population is allergic to dairy products, particularly those who are not of Indo-European descent. There are also people (like vegans) that do not consume dairy products because of ethical reasons. Therefore they must find other ways to get the calcium they need to stay healthy. There are many other food products that have calcium in them such as oranges, broccoli, seaweeds, almonds, sesame seeds, and many more including crushed eggshells.

There is also an abundance of health supplements on the market that can substitute for food products. However, it is suggested be medical authorities that if you use a supplement, you only take 500 mgs at a time. This is because the more calcium that you put into your body, the less your body absorbs. You should also spread your doses throughout the day. Recommended intake of calcium ranges from 1000 to 1200 mgs a day depending on your age.

You can find the calcium content amount in most foods in the USDA National Nutrient Database. Calcium amounts required for a healthy body must be met throughout life or the deficiency can have harm effects. Long-term deficiency of calcium can cause osteoporosis. It has also been shown that calcium increases lymphatic fluids.

As mentioned, the calcium required to have a healthy body varies by age. Babies 0-6 months need 210 mgs per day; babies 7-12 months require 270 mgs per day. Toddlers 1-3 years of age should intake 500 mgs per day. Children 4-8 years of age need 800 mgs a day and children 9-18 years require 1300 mgs a day. As for adults, those 19-50 years of age need 1000 mgs a day and older adults should take 1200 mgs of calcium per day.

In conclusion, everyone should have the recommended mgs of calcium a day to stay healthy. Without calcium, our bones and teeth can become very brittle and we can have problems such as osteoporosis in our later years. So for those of you who can tolerate dairy products, eat/drink them daily. For those who cannot, take a multivitamin or calcium supplement daily.

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Calcium Carbonate Source

Thursday, 29. October 2009 10:34

Calcium carbonate is only one of the many compounds used in making calcium supplements. Calcium carbonate is an alkaline-based salt. That is why it is known to control acidity in the stomach. It also requires an acidic environment to get absorbed, and therefore recommended by doctors to be taken after meals.

It has been found recently that coral calcium is the most effective calcium carbonate source. This salt is obtained from fossilized coral reefs above sea level. It is pure, refined and contains many other minerals in addition to adequate amounts of calcium. It is good for health because it not only helps in overcoming calcium deficiency but also treats many illnesses including depression, obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.

This calcium carbonate source is now used in making high-quality calcium supplements. Coral calcium harvested from the island of Okinawa in Japan has been found to be the most beneficial form of this salt in terms of improving health and preventing many degenerative diseases. Japanese people who drink water containing coral calcium are at reduced risk of developing coronary heart disease and many types of cancer.

You can now buy these supplements easily as they are available at many online stores. Recommended dosage of any calcium carbonate source is 2 to 3 tablets a day after every meal. These tablets help in proper digestion of food and are easily absorbed by the bloodstream. People who are deficient of calcium are especially advised to increase their calcium intake through diet as well as calcium tablets.

An average healthy man should consume up to 1200 mg of calcium daily. Post menopausal women are at high risk of developing osteoporosis or bone disease, and therefore they should consume at least 1500 mg of calcium daily. At this age it is not possible to receive this amount solely from food. Calcium supplements are very useful in these situations and they should also be used by people who are allergic to milk and other dairy products.

Liquid coral calcium supplements are also available on the market. They are ideal to be used by elderly people and children under the age of 10. In addition to being a rich calcium carbonate source, these supplements also contain vitamin D, K2 and certain other minerals like magnesium, sodium and potassium. These minerals are important for overall health and also help in calcium absorption.

By: John Gibb

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Calcium Intake Pregnancy – The Benefits of Sufficient Calcium Intake and Pregnancy

Wednesday, 14. October 2009 15:41

During pregnancy the requirement of calcium increases. Around 200 mg/day of calcium is taken up by the baby to develop properly. When the baby is born, about 20-30 g of calcium is found naturally in its skeleton. Later on during breastfeeding, about 1200 mg of calcium should be consumed by the mother to ensure proper growth of her baby.

Sufficient calcium intake and pregnancy are therefore related to each other. Many kinds of birth defects, abnormalities and miscarriages occur as a result of calcium deficiency in the mother. Women are advised by their doctors to obtain optimal levels of calcium from their everyday diet and to be on the safe side they should add at least one calcium supplement product to their everyday diet.

The importance of calcium intake and pregnancy can also be established by the fact that the rate of calcium loss through urine is the highest during pregnancy. To ensure proper absorption of calcium by the blood stream, vitamin D or multi-vitamin tablets should also be consumed. In addition to these, a calcium-rich diet, regular exercise and good-quality calcium supplements help to ensure healthy pregnancies.

Because of urinary calcium excretion, pregnant women are at high risk of developing kidney stones. Extra care should be taken in the context of diet and other factors during pregnancy. Avoid too much protein-rich foods coming from animal sources, and try to drink milk regularly.

In addition to this, also try to avoid soft drinks, too much sugar and salt, coffee, tea, tobacco and alcohol. All these things are not only dangerous for the baby but also increase the rate of calcium loss.

Hypertension and depression are two of the most common symptoms seen in pregnant women. These again are caused due to severe calcium and other minerals’ deficiency. Heavy medication and inactivity also contribute to calcium loss and interfere in other processes. Similarly, high levels of phosphorus in the blood and high level of parathyroid hormone are dangerous for health.

To ensure a healthy pregnancy and long-term health after delivery, try to find the highest quality calcium supplements available out there. The best ones are those which have been made by mixing a calcium salt with sources of some other minerals and vitamins. These nutrients include magnesium, potassium, vitamin D, vitamin K2 and sodium.

The importance of sufficient calcium intake and pregnancy cannot be overemphasized. Try to eat a balanced diet and don’t sit idle for long durations of time.

By: John Gibb

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