We all know that calcium is needed for healthy bones and teeth. If calcium deficiency in the body is neglected for many years, it may cause bone disease in old age which is also known as osteoporosis in medical terms, and many other complications.

Calcium supplements or tablets are normally recommended by doctors all over the world to overcome calcium deficiency. These tablets provide up to 40% of elementary calcium obtained from food materials and help in its absorption by the bones. Therefore, calcium supplements and bone health are closely related to each other.

Calcium is mainly found in our bones, teeth, blood and cells. Almost 98% of calcium found in our body is accumulated in the bones where it is needed for proper growth and development of the skeletal system. Teenagers are advised to drink a lot of milk because this is the time when their bones are formed and after a time stop growing in length. Milk is composed of natural substances that help in maximum absorption of calcium in the bones.

Calcium supplements and bone health can be connected by the fact that they not only help in overcoming the deficiency of calcium in the body, but also prevent many degenerative diseases related to the skeletal system including osteoporosis.

Our immune system is mainly responsible for maintaining the health of bones. However, as we age our immune systems becomes weak and do not perform at its maximum due to other health conditions. At this age, the importance of nutritional supplements for bone health is emphasized by doctors and health specialists. Liquid calcium supplements and those available in tablet form are equally efficient and provide many benefits in terms of overall health and well-being.

In addition to the above-mentioned degenerative diseases, calcium is also important for the prevention of depression in women, PMS, obesity, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, kidney stones, muscle cramps, other skeletal problems and colon cancer.

There are minimal or no side effects of calcium supplements and are equally effective for adults and children. Try to find the ones made from calcium carbonate or more specifically coral calcium because it reduces acidity in the stomach and easily gets absorbed in the bloodstream if taken right after meals. Vitamin D helps in better absorption of calcium; therefore try to look for supplements that contain certain vitamins and minerals such as magnesium in addition to adequate quantities of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate.

By: John Gibb

Calcium glycinate like other compounds is used in making good-quality and effective calcium supplements. In addition to assisting in overcoming calcium deficiency in the body, there are some other health benefits of calcium glycinate as well. Let’s explore what these benefits are.

First of all, people who have used calcium glycinate supplements have reported back a significant improvement in their bone health. It is a compound which facilitates calcium absorption along with vitamin D and phosphorus, and therefore calcium deficient people are at a reduced risk of developing kidney stones and colon cancer.

One of the health benefits if calcium glycinate is that it is many times more soluble in water than other calcium salts. Hence its bioavailability rate is nearly as good as calcium carbonate or coral calcium. The tablets made with calcium glycinate are easily digested, and therefore can be used by people of all ages. Doctors normally recommend taking one tablet after each meal everyday for the treatment and prevention of calcium deficiency and the conditions associated with it.

Some other health benefits of calcium glycinate include better performance of adrenal glands, prevention of many types of cancers, prevention of bone disease and assistance in weight loss. People who have used these supplements have also reported back a slight decline in their blood pressure, and therefore calcium glycinate can also be used by people who have high blood pressure, hypertension and obesity.

With a wide range of calcium supplements now available online for purchase, it is recommended that you do a little research of your own before buying a particular brand. Although many of these supplements have found to be harmless and have absolutely no side effects of their own, it’s always better to be on the safe side.

Calcium citrate, calcium carbonate, coral calcium harvested from the island of Okinawa in Japan, calcium glycinate, calcium phosphate and calcium orotate are all reliable salts from which calcium supplements are being made. Before starting the course of a supplement product, carefully read the instructions on the bottle and also note down all the ingredients and find out about their effectiveness.

It’s always good to consult a doctor before consuming calcium or any other mineral tablets. Pregnant and lactating women are advised to obtain maximum of calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, vitamin D, vitamin E and all other nutrients from diet and if they feel the need to try dietary supplements they should ask their doctor first.

By: John Gibb

Calcium, we see the word on our toothpaste box, orange juice container and anywhere else manufacturers can find a place to print that word, hoping it will inspire us to buy more of their product. But do we know what calcium is and why is it so important to us? The history of calcium actually dates back to the first century, when the Romans prepared lime as calcium oxide, but it wasn’t until 1808 that a man from England named Sir Humphrey Davy first isolated calcium.

Calcium is a soft, greyish, metallic element, it can be derived from calcium fluoride, with the use of electrolysis. If you were to see calcium burn, the flame would look yellowish-red and once it is exposed to the air, it would form a white nitride coating. Calcium also reacts to water, so much so that it actually takes the place of hydrogen in the water and creates something called calcium hydroxide. Calcium is very important when it comes to muscle contraction, building strong bones and teeth, helping to regulate heartbeats, blood clotting, the transmission of nerve impulses and maintaining a fluid balance within the cells. It is suggested that in the US, between 50 to 75% of adults don’t get enough calcium in their normal daily eating habits. I’m sure that this is a major reason why so many manufacturers are plastering the word calcium on any product they can find, that falls within the legal limits of the FDA, of course.

Calcium is a very important ingredient in a healthy diet. The lack of calcium can cause the teeth and bones to form in a less then normal manner. Of course, too much calcium can cause kidney stones. To absorb calcium you need Vitamin D. For most people, dairy products, such as milk and cheese, are where they usually get their normal intake of calcium. However, some people are allergic to dairy products and there are others who are lactose intolerant. For these people, they have to find other ways to get calcium into their bodies and fortunately there are other sources of calcium besides dairy products. Some of these sources include, nuts, seeds, beans, oysters, shrimp, okra and broccoli.

Though we only seem to focus on calcium in terms of our health, other uses for calcium have also been discovered. Some of these uses include acting as a reducing agent while helping to extract other metals, such as uranium and thorium. Being used as a alloying agent to help produce copper, lead and aluminium and, probably the most common use of calcium, besides trying to add it to our diets is, calcium is an important ingredient in the making of cements and mortars, which we use for construction.

There is no shortage of supply of calcium on earth and it is one of the most abundant minerals in the human body. Calcium, like anything else that’s good for the body, must be used in moderation. The recommended daily intake of calcium seems to vary depending on your age and with manufacturers trying to stick calcium into every conceivable product, who’s to say how much calcium your body is absorbing when you purchase one of the calcium enriched products.

By: Michael Russell