When the level of calcium in your blood gets too low, your body robs calcium from
your bones. Now, this is always going on to some extent. Bone is alive; the body
is continuously cleaning out and remodelling its bones. However, inadequate diet
and the reduced hormone levels that come with age can result in less calcium being
redeposited in the bones than is removed.
Calcium supplements reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
There
are two risks associated with calcium supplements.
1 - Kidney stones, but it's not a high risk.
2 - Wasted money, if you get taken in by claims that "our coral calcium not
only
prevents osteoporosis, but cures dozens of other conditions". Balderdash.
It's calcium carbonate. Want to get Major on a rant? Coral calcium.
Look for the elemental calcium content
in a supplement, not the total content. For instance, a pill containing 500mg
of calcium carbonate provides 200mg of elemental calcium.
Calcium is absorbed in small intestines.
The amount absorbed depends on factors including the acidity in the small bowel,
Vitamin D level, estrogen level and the type of calcium supplement taken.
The
most common calcium supplement is calcium carbonate, from ground limestone or
oyster shell, or calcium phosphate and calcium lactate. Others include calcium
citrate, calcium aspartate, calcium orotate and calcium gluconate.
Calcium
Carbonate is the most common form used...if you are on medication which blocks
stomach acid then you may wish to use the citrate form (it doesn't require acid
to be absorbed) and citrate is the least likely to form kidney stones...but it
costs more than the carbonate.
As mentioned earlier, the body uses calcium
for several vital functions. One such is to control the body's overall level of
acidity. In order for the calcium to react correctly in the body to control the
acid-base balance, the right form of calcium must be provided. Calcium lactate
is a strong acidifying calcium. The others are fairly neutral in their acid-base
reaction, but are very usable. Calcium carbonate (Tums, for example) neutralizes
the stomach acid needed for calcium absorption. Calcium taken with iron reduces
the effect of both minerals - if you need both, they should be taken at opposite
ends of the day. Insufficient vitamin D intake
or excess phosphorus and magnesium interfere with the availability of calcium.
A diet that is high either in protein, fat or sugar hinders calcium uptake.
The typical Canadian diet of meats, refined
grains, and soft drinks (which are high in phosphorus) leads to increased bone
loss in adults because the organism becomes constantly too acidic.
We quote the Harvard School of Public Health on ensuring there's enough available
calcium in your system for all the many functions in which calcium plays a major
role:
Get
enough vitamin K. Vitamin K, which is found mainly in green, leafy vegetables,
likely plays an important role (or roles) in calcium regulation and bone formation.
Getting one or more servings per day of broccoli, Brussels spouts, dark green
lettuce, collard greens, or kale should give you all you need. (see caution below)
Take
care with caffeine. Although the votes aren't all in, there is some evidence
that drinking a lot of coffee--about four or more cups per day--can increase the
risk of fracture. Caffeine tends to promote calcium excretion in urine.
Avoid
too much protein. As your body digests protein, it releases acids into
the bloodstream, which the body neutralizes by drawing calcium from the bones.
Animal protein seems to cause more of this calcium leaching than vegetable protein
does.
Get
enough vitamin A, but not too much. Long-associated with good vision, vitamin
A has also been found to direct the process of borrowing and redepositing calcium
in bone. However, too much preformed vitamin A can promote fractures. Avoid vitamin
supplements that have a full RDA (5,000 IU) of vitamin A as preformed vitamin
A, unless prescribed by your doctor.
CAUTION:
Vitamin K
is a key part of your body's blood-clotting mechanism. If you are on a blood-thinning
drug such as warfarin, and start increasing your vitamin K intake, your doctor
MUST be informed so your blood-thinning medication can be adjusted.
Calcium supplements are a good idea for
a great many of us, but you may want to talk to Marjori about what fits best with
your diet and any other supplements or remedies you take on a regular basis.
