The Power of Calcium

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by Andrew Pacholyk, MS, L.Ac.

Calcium is an element founds in bones, shells and limestone, among other materials. Along with vitamin D, it helps build and maintain healthy bones and teeth. It also:

~ helps lower blood pressure and control heartbeat

~ helps regulate muscle contractions

~ plays a role in blood clotting

~ prevents fatal bleeding from breaks in the walls of blood vessels

~ maintains cell membranes

~ aids in the absorption of vitamin B12

~ activates enzymes such as lipase, the fat-splitting enzyme

Your bones furnish reserves of calcium to keep plasma constant at all times.

Most adults need 1,000 milligrams a day; adults over 50 need 1,200 milligrams. Children and adolescents need 1,300 milligrams to build and grow strong bones and calcium stores. Pregnant and breast-feeding women need only the amount recommended for their age. Most Americans do not get enough calcium in their diets, especially women.

When calculating the amount you get in your diet, keep in mind that certain dietary factors, lifestyle characteristics, medical conditions and medications can affect the absorption or excretion of calcium in your body. For example:

Calcium from foods rich in oxalates (such as spinach, sweet potatoes and beans) or in phytates (such as whole wheat bran, beans, nuts and soy isolates) may be absorbed poorly. Protein and sodium in foods boost the amount of calcium excreted in urine, while phosphorus an vitamin D reduce the amount excreted in urine. Caffeine intake and cigarette smoking can both reduce and decrease the absorption of calcium. Diseases such as hyperthyroidism and diabetes, and medicines such as corticosteroids and glucocorticoids reduce the absorption, as well as increase the amount excreted in urine. Alcohol in moderation does not appear to adversely affect calcium availability.

If you are not getting enough calcium in your diet, you should take a supplement. They do not provide the same overall nutrient benefits as foods, however. If you do take it in supplement form, follow these guidelines.