To Calcium.. or not to Calcium.
Calcium is a vital mineral in the body. It is one of the most abundant and it is well known as a requirement for the formation of healthy bones. In Australia, 1 in 2 women and 1 in 3 men over 60 years of age will have an osteoporotic fracture in their lifetime. That is a broken bone caused by low bone density.
So calcium is important, however there are many other nutrients that are essential to help build the calcium into a strong healthy bone structures. The main ones are vitamin D, vitamin C, vitamin K, copper, zinc, phosphorus, manganese, boron and magnesium.
A patient said to me recently that she was told ‘you can’t have too much calcium’ but unfortunately, that is not true. Calcium in large amounts can be very detrimental to the body. If too much calcium is absorbed into the blood stream at one time, the body will go into a little panic and feel the need to hide the excess. And where does it hide it? In the organs and tissues! This can lead to conditions like kidney stones and heart disease.
The ideal dose of calcium is 500mg per day. As well as the doseage, is also important to have a good form of calcium so the digestive system can actually use it and it doesn’t go straight down the toilet!
The worst form for the body is calcium carbonate; basically it’s ground up shells!
A very popular supplement on the market is calcium carbonate and it has the dose of 600mg.
So just one of these tablets is too high a dose and some people are taking 2 or more a day!
So who needs extra calcium? You may be at risk of low bone density if you:
Smoke
Drink excessive alcohol
Don’t exercise enough
Eat a low calcium diet e.g. vegan, vegetarian or limit dairy, leafy greens, eggs, fish etc
Take pharmaceutical drugs like statins, antacids, cortisone
Have a family history of osteoporosis or osteoarthritis?
We have different combinations of Calcium for different needs.
Please contact us if you are unsure if you need more Calcium and what the best supplement is to suit your needs. Got to love your bones!
