Calcium
What is calcium and what is it for?
When we think of calcium, it is
common to associate it with bone health. After all, it is the most abundant
mineral in our body and is largely stored in the bones, representing up to 2%
of body weight.
It is especially important for the formation of the entire bone structure and dental arch, being responsible for the proper growth of the body from pregnancy.
In adulthood and throughout life, it is essential for keeping these regions healthy, and is famous for promoting the “hardness” of bones and teeth, ensuring strength and resistance.
But its functions go beyond that. Calcium is also found in all cells and in the blood, playing an important role in muscle contraction, nerve conduction, blood clotting and the release of hormones and other metabolic molecules. It is essential for life and provides many benefits for the entire body.
What are the main benefits of
calcium?
Because it is essential for bone structure, as well as for functions related to the cardiovascular, nervous and muscular systems, calcium benefits the body and provides benefits such as:
Providing stronger and more resistant teeth and bones;
Helping to control blood
pressure;
Helping to improve muscle
performance;
Reducing the risk of hemorrhage;
Helping to prevent fractures
resulting from falls;
Helping to treat conditions
associated with osteopenia and osteoporosis;
Helping to maintain normal heart
rhythm;
Preventing cavities and
complications related to teeth;
Providing adequate growth from
childhood to adulthood;
However, calcium is not a mineral
naturally produced by our body and, therefore, it should be ingested mainly
through a varied and healthy diet, with foods that are a good source of the
mineral.
What are the foods richest in
calcium?
You must have heard that drinking
milk is important for having strong teeth and bones, right? However, although
milk is one of the most well-known foods for its high concentration of calcium,
there are a variety of foods, both of animal and plant origin, that have
significant amounts of this mineral.
Natural yogurt – 143mg of
calcium;
Ricotta cheese – 253mg of
calcium;
Sardines – 438mg of calcium;
Mussels – 56mg of calcium;
Oysters – 66mg of calcium;
Almonds – 237mg of calcium;
Flaxseed – 250mg of calcium;
Tofu – 130mg of calcium;
Walnuts – 105mg of calcium;
Peanuts – 62mg of calcium;
Raisins – 50mg of calcium;
Broccoli – 42mg of calcium.
What is the recommended daily
amount of calcium?
There are some average daily
calcium intake values recommended by the Ministry of Health for healthy
people:
Children aged 1 to 3 years – 500mg;
Children aged 4 to 6 years – 600
mg;
Children aged 7 to 10 years –
700mg;
Adults – 1,000mg;
Pregnant women – 1,200mg;
Breastfeeding women – 1,000mg.
These values may vary depending
on each person’s lifestyle, habits and genetic predispositions.
In addition, to reach the recommended values, it is important to absorb the calcium ingested in large quantities, and it is necessary to combine it with the consumption of other nutrients in the diet.
What are the effects of a lack of
calcium on the body?
When there is a low intake of foods rich in calcium, the body may not reach the recommended levels, which generates a deficiency of this mineral, triggering unfavorable effects on health, mainly related to bones.
As we have seen, calcium is concentrated mainly in the skeleton, which ends up forming a large stock of the mineral in the body, but its presence is also essential in the bloodstream.
In other words, when there is a deficit, the body ends up moving the calcium present in the bone structure to the blood, in order to try to balance the levels in the body, generating the loss of calcium from the bones and, consequently, contributing to their weakening.
In addition, this deficit is also related to the emergence of cardiovascular and nervous system problems, loss of muscle strength, increased blood pressure and the appearance of problems in the teeth that can facilitate breakage and crumbling and even allow a greater incidence of tooth loss, especially in old age.
However, the lack of calcium in the body is difficult to measure through blood tests, since our body is wonderful and has the necessary mechanisms to balance the levels of the mineral in the blood.
When there is a more significant or chronic deficit, it can end up causing more serious consequences in the long term, such as growth problems or the appearance of osteopenia or osteoporosis, regardless of age.
Therefore, it is necessary to ensure a good intake of foods rich in calcium, in addition to the consumption of vitamins D and K2, which are essential to aid in the absorption and fixation of the mineral in the correct regions.
When this consumption is below the expected, we can even notice some general symptoms that are not normally associated with a lack of calcium.
Main symptoms
Drowsiness;
Cramps;
Mental confusion;
Tingling in the legs, feet and
hands;
Fatigue;
Memory lapses;
Stress;
Cavities and frequent dental
problems.
When is supplementation
necessary?
A good intake of nutrients through a balanced and nutritionally rich diet can promote daily calcium consumption and maintenance of the recommended levels of the mineral in the body, but it is not always enough.
As we have seen throughout the text, the recommended intake of approximately 1,000 mg of calcium per day is for adults, however, each food has a specific amount of this mineral per serving.
Therefore, a wide variety of these foods is necessary throughout the day, in addition to the need for them to be associated with the intake of other essential nutrients, such as magnesium and vitamins D and K2, to obtain good absorption and better use in the body.
Therefore, supplementation is used precisely when we are unable to reach the recommended levels of calcium through diet alone or when a greater amount than is already being ingested is necessary, either due to difficulty in absorbing the mineral, health conditions or particularities of each person.
When choosing your supplement, in addition to consulting a doctor or health professional for better guidance, opt for products that contain an adequate amount of the mineral in their composition and present other nutrients together that promote greater effectiveness and better benefits.
How to promote the absorption and
retention of calcium?
For calcium to be properly
directed in the body, it is recommended that it be consumed together with other
nutrients, especially magnesium and vitamins D3 and K2.
Like calcium, magnesium is also considered one of the most important minerals for the human body. In addition to being involved in more than 300 metabolic reactions, 60% of it is present in the composition of the bone structure, being highly relevant to bone health and acting together for the functioning of calcium in the body.
Vitamins D3 and K2 act in the absorption and fixation of calcium, preventing the mineral from being excreted from the bones and teeth and, consequently, from being deposited in the blood unnecessarily.
In other words, when calcium is accompanied by these nutrients, in addition to enhancing its absorption and benefits, it is also possible to avoid some negative effects such as calcification of the arteries, a process related to isolated supplementation and certain types of the mineral, in certain cases.
There are now smart formulas that, in addition to providing all these components along with calcium, are aimed at bone health and also contain collagen, the most abundant protein in the human body and essential for bone structure.
In addition, by maintaining healthy habits in your routine, such as regular physical activity, a healthy diet and good hydration, and especially avoiding excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, soft drinks and cigarettes, it is also possible to stimulate the absorption and retention of the mineral in the body, as well as preventing problems such as osteoporosis.
What is the best calcium to
strengthen bones?
There are several types of
calcium that are used for supplementation, which have different names and
distinct bioavailability.
The best-known types of calcium are found in the form of chelated calcium and calcium salts, such as acetate, lactate, gluconate, citrate, malate, glycine and carbonate, with a variation of 25 to 40% in the absorption power of the mineral.
However, although these are the best-known and most recommended forms, there is currently the option of calcium from seaweed, which promises better results and greater purity in its composition.
Seaweed calcium
Seaweed calcium extracted from
the seaweed Lithothamnion Calcareum has high bioavailability, is of plant
origin and free of chemicals, being a safe source of supplementation.
In addition, it naturally contains minerals such as magnesium, sulfur, potassium, among others, which contribute to its better utilization in the body, enhancing its action in maintaining bones and teeth.
However, to decide which calcium supplement is best, it is necessary to understand that its effectiveness also depends on the rest of the composition present in the supplement, such as vitamins and other minerals that can act in synergy to increase its efficiency and enhance absorption.
Who is supplementation indicated
for?
Calcium is an essential mineral
for all people and in different conditions, since its adequate intake and
absorption depend on several factors, such as diet, health conditions, genetic
predispositions and habits in general.
However, mineral supplementation is commonly recommended for the elderly, athletes and women in menopause. Understand the reasons:
Elderly
Over the years, as happens with
all functions and nutrients in our body, the calcium reserve and its absorption
capacity gradually decrease. Furthermore, bones tend to decrease in density and
strength as we age, and supplementation may be recommended to support bone
integrity and maintain the necessary strength.
Athletes
Practicing intense and regular
physical activity requires adequate strengthening of the bones and greater
muscular resistance. Calcium supplementation, in turn, acts to promote muscular
contraction, which is necessary for the proper development of movements, and
also helps in the prevention and treatment of possible fractures resulting from
sports.
Women in menopause
After menopause, the production
of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone decreases, and, among many
other symptoms that may arise during this phase, loss of bone mass is one of
them. Calcium supplementation, in turn, can help maintain bones that tend to be
damaged at this time.
Calcium and collagen as allies
for stronger bones and more active lives
Although it is known for its
benefits for the skin, collagen is a protein of great importance for bone
health, along with calcium and vitamins D and K2.
Collagen is present in approximately 25 to 35% of bone composition, contributing significantly to mineralization and providing greater flexibility and resistance, which favors stronger bones that are less susceptible to breakage.
Therefore, the action of these two nutrients together can provide greater mobility, enable physical exercise to be performed more safely, help in the prevention and treatment of fractures and, consequently, contribute to a more active and healthy life.
Continue reading the blog and understand better the importance of collagen for bones and how it can be used together with calcium to maintain bone health.
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