WHAT IS CALCIUM?
Calcium is a mineral that is most frequently linked to strong bones and teeth, but it also has a significant impact on a number of other crucial bodily processes. Bones retain the majority of the body’s calcium (almost 99%), which helps maintain the strength and stability of the bones. The remaining 1% of calcium is distributed among muscles, tissues, and cells where it performs crucial tasks in the bloodstream. Calcium helps muscles contract, enabling them to carry out daily activities. It is also essential for blood coagulation, ensuring that wounds heal properly. Additionally, calcium is essential for sustaining healthy cardiac rhythms and enabling nerve cell function, underscoring its significance for overall health and wellbeing.
WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF CALCIUM?
The benefits of Calcium include:
Calcium provides a variety of significant advantages that enhance overall wellbeing while acting as a crucial cornerstone for various biological processes. Calcium is essential for maintaining several bodily systems, including those that support heart health, bone density, and other bodily functions. Here are a few of this mineral’s main advantages.
- Bone Health: Calcium is well known for playing a significant part in fostering and maintaining strong, healthy bones. As almost all of the body’s calcium is stored in the skeletal system, it is most frequently linked to bone health. Our bone density increases continuously over the course of our lives, reaching its peak between the ages of 25 and 30 and then gradually declining as we get older. To establish optimum bone density and prevent bone loss in later years, especially for individuals who are most susceptible to bone loss, such as postmenopausal women and the elderly, adequate calcium consumption during childhood is essential. Osteoporosis, a disorder that causes porous, brittle bones, is strongly associated with low calcium levels and can result in fractures and weakened bones.
- Colon Cancer Prevention: New studies point to calcium’s potential significance in colon cancer prevention, though the data are still not entirely clear. Colon cancer and calcium supplements have been linked in several research, with an emphasis on adenomatous polyps, which are a precursor to cancer. While some research points to a preventive impact of calcium supplements, the evidence is insufficient to support their usage as a major colon cancer prevention strategy. The chance of getting colon cancer is strongly influenced by factors other than calcium, including genetics, weight, nutrition, and smoking. Therefore, even while calcium may play a function in lowering risk, it should be considered as part of a larger plan for colon health.
- Weight Management: There are several facets to the association between calcium intake and weight management, which is still not fully understood. According to several studies, consuming more calcium is associated with losing body weight. Additionally, including low-fat, calcium-rich foods in a calorie-restricted diet may help lower the risk of obesity and encourage weight loss in obese people. It’s important to keep in mind that calcium supplements might not offer the same advantages as dietary sources of calcium, and it’s not entirely apparent how successful they are in helping people manage their weight. Maintaining a caloric balance by burning more calories than you consume while focusing on a balanced diet full of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats is still the most important component in weight control.
Despite these benefits, calcium intake should be approached with caution and an awareness of each person’s unique needs and circumstances. Even though calcium is unquestionably good for your health in many ways, taking too much or the wrong kind of supplements might have negative effects. Therefore, to choose the best strategy for consuming calcium, it is crucial to take into account your particular health profile and eating habits in cooperation with a healthcare professional.
HOW DOES CALCIUM WORK IN HUMAN BODY?
When calcium is consumed through food or supplements, it begins a complex journey inside the body, taking part in several vital processes. Calcium is mostly absorbed in the small intestine with the aid of vitamin D once it reaches the digestive tract. The body works hard to keep a precise equilibrium of this mineral in the bloodstream, which necessitates a strictly controlled mechanism for calcium absorption. When calcium levels in the blood are too low, the hormone parathyroid is released to encourage calcium absorption, whereas high calcium levels cause the hormone calcitonin to be released, which prevents calcium from releasing from bones and encourages kidney excretion of the mineral.
Once calcium enters the bloodstream, it plays a variety of roles. About 99% of calcium is kept in the bones and teeth, where it contributes to their strength and structural integrity. When the body needs to keep blood calcium levels within a specific range—essential for muscular contraction, neuronal signalling, and blood clotting—it can draw on this calcium reserve. The release of hormones and enzymes that support a variety of physiological processes, including the circulatory and neurological systems, is another function of calcium. In essence, calcium performs the role of a linchpin mineral, directing a symphony of biological processes to maintain the health of our bodies.
Calcium is important for more than just maintaining bone health; it also plays a critical role in blood clotting, neuron function, and muscle contraction. Calcium ions function as secondary messengers in cellular signalling pathways, influencing the release of important chemicals including neurotransmitters and hormones, controlling a range of physiological activities from metabolism to muscle tone. Nerve impulses that cause the release of calcium ions from storage inside muscle cells are at the heart of the mechanism facilitating muscular contraction.
Additionally, calcium is essential for blood vessel health because it allows for the vasodilation and vasoconstriction necessary for controlling blood pressure and nutrient delivery. Overall, calcium’s versatility and involvement in a variety of complex biochemical processes highlight its status as a necessary component for overall wellness, emphasising the significance of maintaining a healthy diet and calcium balance.
HOW MUCH CALCIUM CAN A PERSON TAKE?
Depending on an individual’s age and particular life stage, different calcium intakes are recommended on a daily basis. Calcium intake recommendations in milligrams (mg) per day are given in the U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA). The RDA for calcium for adult males and females is 1,000 mg per day for those who are between the ages of 19 and 70. The recommended daily dose for older people, including women over 50 and males over 70, is 1,200 mg.
Between the ages of 9 and 18, children and teenagers need 1,300 mg of calcium every day. Like this, pregnant and lactating teenagers between the ages of 17 and 19 should strive for 1,300 mg per day, while pregnant and breastfeeding adults between the ages of 19 and older should aim for 1,000 mg daily.
It’s crucial to approach calcium consumption with caution and stay under 500 mg in a single dose as the body may find it difficult to absorb higher doses effectively. For instance, splitting a person’s daily consumption of calcium into two doses of 500 mg each, taken in the morning and at night, can be advantageous. When dietary sources of calcium are insufficient, calcium supplements should be taken.
These suggested levels can be reached by a balanced diet rich in calcium-containing foods, such as dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified foods. These recommendations aid in ensuring that people consume the right quantity of calcium for their age and stage of life, supporting general health and reducing any hazards from overconsumption. However, to determine the best calcium intake based on personal needs and health considerations, it is best to speak with a healthcare professional.
WHAT ARE THE VARIATIONS OF CALCIUM?
Note that Calcium is also available as:
- Calcium 5% Food State On Yeast (~5% Ca)
- Calcium Alpha Ketoglutarate (Oxoglutarate) Nutrition Grade (~19.5% Ca)
- Calcium Aspartate Nutrition Grade (~12% Ca)
- Calcium Bisglycinate Nutrition Grade (~19% Ca)
- Calcium Caprylate (Calcium Octanoate) Powder Nutrition Grade (~12% Ca)
- Calcium Carbonate DC Nutrition Grade (~40% Ca)
- Calcium Carbonate Nutrition Grade (~40% Ca)
- Calcium Chloride Anhydrous Nutrition Grade (~34% Ca)
- Calcium Citrate Malate DC Nutrition Grade (~20% Ca)
- Calcium Citrate Tetrahydrate Nutrition Grade (~19% Ca)
- Calcium Gluconate Nutrition Grade (~8% Ca)
- Calcium Glycerophosphate Nutrition Grade (~18% Ca)
- Calcium Hydroxide Nutrition Grade (~51% Ca)
- Calcium Ketoisocaproate (KIC Calcium) Nutrition Grade (~13% Ca)
- Calcium Lactate Anhydrous Nutrition Grade (~18% Ca)
- Calcium Lactate Pentahydrate Nutrition Grade (~13% Ca)
- Calcium Malate Nutrition Grade (~23% Ca)
- Calcium Pyruvate Nutrition Grade (~15% Ca)
- Calcium Succinate Nutrition Grade (~25% Ca)
- Dicalcium Phosphate Anhydrous Nutrition Grade (~22% Ca)
- Dicalcium Phosphate Dihydrate (Dicalcium Orthophosphate) Granular DC Nutrition Grade (~21% Ca)
Calcium is commonly available in:
- Calcium Tablets
- Calcium Capsules
- Calcium Powders
- Calcium Soft gels
- Calcium Effervescent Tablets
- Calcium Chewables
Glentworth Formulations is here to suit your every need. Everything from Tablets, Capsules and Powder blends.
If you are wanting to know more information, please get in contact with us. Either using the contact form or contacting us directly on: [email protected].
