Calcium
Optimal Calcium Intake
Calcium is the fifth most abundant element by mass in the human body. Calcium plays an important role in building stronger bones early in life and keeping them strong later in life. People typically lose bone as they age, despite consuming the recommended intake of calcium necessary to maintain optimal bone health. Teenagers, young women and post-menopausal women in particular are most often consuming far less than calcium than their body needs. Calcium is also used in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and the maintenance of cell membranes.
Dietary sources are the best way to attain optimal calcium intake. Calcium requirements depend in part upon whether the body is growing or making new bone or milk. Diets high in sodium increase calcium losses in the urine.
Many foods contain calcium, but dairy products are the most significant source. Foods and beverages high in calcium include milk and other dairy products. If drinking 3-1/3 cups of milk a day does not appeal to you, can get calcium from a range of other dairy and nondairy sources. Other dairy products such as yogurt, most cheeses, and buttermilk are excellent sources of calcium and are available in low-fat or fat-free versions.
There are many foods, besides dairy products, that contain calcium. Dark green leafy vegetables also contain calcium, but it is not as readily absorbed as calcium from dairy sources. Dairy products are high in calcium, while certain green vegetables and other foods contain calcium in smaller amounts. Other sources of calcium are salmon and sardines canned with their soft bones.
To attain optimal calcium intake you can get it from calcium supplements. A great variety of calcium supplements can be found in your health food store. These supplements can range from a simple calcium carbonate to bone meal, dicalcium phosphate, dolomite, calcium lactate, calcium gluconate, and many others. Although they all contain calcium, they vary in the amount of actual calcium content from 40% in calcium carbonate to 9% in calcium gluconate. Calcium carbonate has the highest percentage calcium per gram, but it acts as an antacid which makes this supplement somewhat useless since calcium can only be absorbed in an acid environment.
Calcium carbonate that is derived from oyster shells is no different from any other form. However, oyster shells carry an additional risk of being contaminated with naturally occurring heavy metals found in the oyster bed environment. Calcium phosphate is probably the best source of calcium, since the principle calcium in the body is actually calcium hydrogen phosphate which is easy to digest.
With poor diets and lack of exercise, calcium supplementation is a must for most people. Have you had your calcium today?