Health Benefits Of Calcium
Calcium is a nutrient that is widely recognized as being beneficial for bone health. However, what is less widely known is that in order to fully benefit from calcium you also need to include vitamin D and vitamin K2 in your diet.
Without these two essential vitamins you won’t be able to absorb as much calcium from your food as you should, and the calcium that you do absorb, may get put in the wrong places such as your arteries rather than your bones.
Of course, calcium is not only good for your bones, as it also plays an important role in muscle contraction, neurotransmitter release within the brain and helps to alkalinize the body so that it is less acidic.
There is little doubt that calcium is a very important nutrient which the body needs to function properly and to stay healthy, but unfortunately, calcium supplements have gained quite a bad reputation within the past few decades.
The main reason for this has been due to the claims of the so called “barefoot doctor”, who, by the way, is not actually a doctor. Barefoot claimed that calcium obtained from Okinawa’s coral reefs would prevent many of the diseases and conditions that people suffer from such as cancer and heart disease, and could even be used to slow down the aging process.
With no medical evidence to support his claims, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) later took legal action against those who they saw as promoting the false health benefits of coral calcium.
But despite all the hype, there was actually some truth in what Barefoot was saying. The problem was, he just wildly exaggerated the benefits that coral calcium could provide the body with. So you shouldn’t need to worry about having to buy expensive coral calcium supplements, as the real benefits that this mineral provides can be obtained quite easily from foods or regular supplements.
Why Is Calcium Important?
Calcium is a macromineral that is naturally found in both soil and water. This makes a true deficiency relatively rare, as most people will be getting trace amounts from the foods they eat or the liquids they drink.
Getting enough calcium in your diet is important, because around 2% of your total body weight is due to the calcium that is stored in your teeth, bones and in other regions such as your muscles, brain and blood. As a result, you need to ensure that you are getting enough calcium as otherwise you may start to experience adversely affected levels of health such as weak bones or muscular disorders.
In order to fully understand the health benefits that calcium provides the body with, it is first necessary to examine some of its biological roles. This is what we shall be looking at next, and then afterwards, we will provide a summary of the main benefits. If you are just interested in learning about the benefits, then please feel free to skip this section and go directly to list of beneficial effects.
Bone Health
Calcium is well known as being necessary for building strong bones, and for good reason, as virtually all the calcium in your body (99%) is found in your bones and your bones are made up of 60% calcium, with the other 40% being collagen.
Collectively, all the bones in your body form the skeleton which protects internal organs such as the brain, heart and lungs from damage. The skeleton is also important for providing structural support, as without a skeleton, you would be unable to walk upright or carry out normal everyday movements.
However, as we age the skeleton gradually begins to shrink due to decreasing bone density. This makes a person much more vulnerable to suffering from fractures or breaks to their bones, and also has the effect of decreasing a persons overall height which is why elderly adults appear shorter than younger adults.
Fortunately, the effects of decreasing bone density can be slowed down, and in some cases, reversed, providing a person is able to include enough bone building minerals, such as calcium, vitamin D, vitamin K2 and magnesium into their diet along with doing some form of weight bearing exercise.
Bone Mineralization
The reason that bones are hard and strong is due to a process known as bone mineralization. Essentially, this process begins when calcium and phosphorus ions combine to form calcium phosphate crystals.
These crystals are then deposited in the collagen bone matrix, which serves as a scaffolding upon which bone is built. If not enough calcium phosphate is produced then you start to experience bone loss, or decreasing bone density, which then puts you at risk of suffering from degenerative bone disorders such as osteoporosis.
Causes Of Bone Loss
Bone loss can occur due to many different reasons, and not just because of a lack of calcium in the diet. You could for example, be eating lots of calcium rich foods but not be absorbing much of that calcium if you don’t get enough vitamin D or sunlight exposure.
Decreasing bone density can also occur as a result of an overly acidic body, which itself may be caused by drinking acidic drinks like coke, smoking cigarettes or eating lots of meat. In order to raise the body’s pH levels, calcium can be taken from your bones to neutralize the excess acidity and make your body more alkaline. This process helps to maintain the pH balance that your body needs to function optimally, but ultimately does so at the expense of deteriorating bone health.
Another major contributing factor that can lead to reduced bone density, is not getting enough exercise. Just like how muscles become stronger the more you use them, your bones become stronger the more weight or pressure they are exposed to. In fact, many studies have shown that one of the best things you can do to improve overall bone health, is to walk for 20-30 minutes 3-4 a week and/or do some form of weight bearing exercises that involve hand weights.
Other Roles
Although the vast majority of calcium in the body is used for bone formation, it is also used for many other essential processes. In the brain for example, calcium ions are needed for the release of neurotransmitters in the pre-synaptic membrane of neurons.
Neurotransmitters are what allow neurons to communicate with each other, and are therefore very important for determining your mood and allowing you to think, learn and remember.
Muscle Contraction
Another major role of calcium in the body is that of muscle contraction, and when the body has low levels of calcium, a condition known as hypocalcemia, a person may experience muscle twitching and an abnormal heart rate rhythm.
Blood Clotting
Along with vitamin K and a protein known as fibrinogen, calcium is necessary for the clotting of blood. Blood clotting is a vital process that is needed for the proper healing of wounds and to prevent excess blood loss from the body as a result of injury. If your blood does not clot properly, or you have a blood clotting disorder such as hemophilia, you could potentially bleed to death from a relatively minor wound.
What Are The Health Benefits Of Calcium?
As has just been discussed, the primary health benefits of calcium occur due to its role in bone mineralization and helping to maintain strong and healthy bones.
In addition, calcium also plays a role in nerve transmission, muscle contraction and blood clotting, thus it can indirectly benefit cognitive function, muscular function and wound healing. Provided below is a summary of the main health benefits that have been associated with calcium intake.
• Important for promoting bone health and reducing ones risk of osteoporosis.
• Lowers cholesterol levels.
• May have protective effects against colon cancer.
• Needed for normal heart rhythm.
• Required for nerve transmission.
• May suppress appetite and thus help a person to lose weight.
• Helps to maintain healthy blood pressure levels.
• May reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Helps to alkalinize the body and maintain stable pH levels.
• Can be useful for treating symptoms of heartburn.
• Needed for the normal functioning of muscle.
• May help to lessen the symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
• Helps to promote sleep at night.
• Involved in the clotting process of blood.
• Good for your teeth.
• Needed to prevent muscle cramps and twitching.
• Involved in the activation of enzymes such as lipase which break down fats.
• Helps maintain proper cell membrane permeability.
• Aids in neuromuscular activity.
• Helps keep the skin healthy.
• May help to increase immune system strength.
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How Much Do You Need?
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium is 800-1200 mg for both males and females. The large majority of people however, will only be able to consume this amount by taking vitamin supplements.
Where Do You Get It?
Calcium can be found in a variety of different foods, although the best sources are dairy products such as milk and cheese in addition to dark green leafy vegetables.
It is important to note though, that calcium tends to be poorly absorbed from food. So if you are relying upon food for your calcium intake, then you might not be getting as much of it as you think you are.
What Causes A Deficiency?
Severe calcium deficiency is relatively rare in developed countries, especially in areas which have hard (mineralized) water and in countries where foods are fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Some foods however, such as spinach and beet greens, may deplete the body of calcium if they are eaten on a regular basis. This is because they contain oxalic acid which prevents the absorption of calcium and may also lead to the formation of kidney stones.
Wholegrain cereals, beans and pulses contain phytic acid, which can also interfere with calcium absorption.
The worst foods are carbonated drinks such as cola which contain phosphoric acid, as this can lower the pH of the body, thus making it more acidic, which can cause calcium to be leached out of bones and excreted from the body.
Who Needs Calcium Supplements?
Those who may benefit the most from taking calcium supplements include elderly adults who are worried about developing osteoporosis*, individuals who eat a lot of sugary foods or consume acidic beverages, vegans, vegetarians, pregnant women, people on a low fat diet, athletes and especially children and teenagers as their bones are growing rapidly.
Some studies have shown that up to 70% of Americans are not getting as much calcium as they should, and so based on this figure, the large majority of people would strongly benefit from supplementation.
* A bone mineral density test can be used to determine the current state of your bones and how likely you are to suffer from degenerative bone disorders in the future. This test will involve carrying out a dual energy X-ray absorptiometry or DEXA scan.
Normal bone density is indicated by a score of -1.0 or higher, a score of -1.0 to -2.5 indicates low bone density (osteopenia) and a score below -2.5 indicates osteoporosis.
Types of supplements
There are many different types of calcium supplements that you can purchase at your local health food store, these include:
• Carbonate
• Gluconate
• Citrate
• Malate
• Lactate
• Phosphate
• Coral calcium
• Oyster shell supplements
• Bone meal supplements
Calcium citrate is considered to be one of the better supplements to take in terms of its bioavailability, although some claim that it doesn’t differ much from carbonate supplements in how well it is absorbed in most people.
There is concern that other types of supplements, such as those containing coral calcium, oyster shell, bone meal and dolomite may be contaminated with toxic heavy metals such as lead and mercury.
Special Notes
When buying supplements, it is important to look at how much elemental calcium they provide rather than the total calcium content, as the elemental form is what will provide you with the health benefits. You should therefore base your daily dosage on the elemental value and not the total value.
There have been reports in the news about calcium supplements being linked to an increased risk of heart disease as a result of calcification of the arteries.
To take calcium safely and to get the most health benefits, it is recommended that you also supplement with magnesium, vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. Magnesium and vitamin D3 enable the body to much better absorb calcium from the intestinal tract, and vitamin K2 ensures that the calcium you have absorbed is then put in your bones rather than in your arteries.
By ensuring that you include these three additional vitamins, you will be able to benefit from the positive health effects that calcium provides whilst also greatly reducing the risks that have been associated with supplementation.
Signs Of Deficiency
Low levels of calcium in the body may lead to symptoms such as:
• Bone fractures/breaks
• Cramp
• Muscular aches
• Uncontrolled leg twitching
• Osteoporosis
• Fatigue
• Weak nails
• Depression
• Insomnia
• Heart palpitations
• High blood pressure
• Joint pain
Best Food Sources
Good food sources to obtain calcium naturally from your diet are:
• Cheese
• Tofu
• Broccoli
• Sardines
• Seaweed
• Yogurt
• Figs
• Sesame Seeds
• Almonds
• Milk*
Milk is not recommended as a source of calcium due to its link with diabetes.
