Who needs calcium, benefits and sources. What is the right form of taking.
WHO NEEDS CALCIUM · Pregnant and breast feeding women · Children and adolescents · Middle aged and old people · Vegetarians and people on weight reducing diets · Those who have malnutrition and general weakness · Those recovering from fracture and accident STAGES OF LIFE WHEN YOU NEED CALCIUM · During teen years, calcium requirements are high because of demands of highly rapidly growing skeleton. Low calcium during this time will have risk of osteoporosis later in life. · During 20s less calcium is required as bone turnover stabilizes · When women reaches menopause bone resorption rate increases and bone mass declines associated with fall of ovarian estrogen production. · At age 65 calcium absorption efficiency is typically 50% below that of adolescent peak absorption DIEATARY FACTORS LIMITING CALCIUM ABSORPTION · Consuming oxalic acid (spinach and other groups) · Grains (wheat bran) · Consuming tannins (tea) · People who are lactose intolerant. · Calcium will lower the rate of iron absorption. Iron not to be taken with calcium. BENEFICIAL EFFECTS OF CALCIUM · Help in primary hypertension · Colorectal cancer · Obesity · Nephrolithiasis · Prevent osteoporosis SOURCES Dairy products, leafy green vegetables, nuts (almonds), dried beans, figs, salmons, sardines. REQUIREMENTS OF CALCIUM AT DIFFERENTS STAGES OF LIFE When we are young we store and build bone effectively. Most bone 85 to 90% is made before age 20. As we get older-age 35-45 bones begin to break down faster than are formed. 0-5 months-210mg 6-11 months-270mg 1-3 years-500mg 4-8 years-800mg 9-18 years-1300mg 19-50 years-1000mg 51-70 years-1200mg 50+ year (women not in hormone replacement therapy)-1500mg Pregnant and lactating women-1000mg BETWEEN 30-50 YEARS OF AGE After you reach your peak bone mass, you will begin to gradually lose bone. All through your life, your body is continually removing old bone and replacing it with fresh bone. This process is called remodeling. Up until about age 40, all the bone removes is replaced. After age 40, less bone is replaced. At this stage in life, getting enough exercise and calcium and vit D every day is crucial to minimizing bone loss. Women especially slim, are more prone to bone loss after menopause. Race is another factor that affects ones tendency to lose bones. White and Asian women are especially vulnerable to bone thinning disease called osteoporosis(which means porous bones) EVERY 5TH WOMEN IN INDIA HAS OSTEOPOROSIS If u are above 40years, nearing menopause beware!! Alarm bells for osteoporosis have started ringing already. Osteoporosis has emerged as the principal cause of concern for post- menopausal Indian women. (source-TOI NOV 27 2003) The Indian Society for Bone Mineral Research vouches for that. As per their study 20% of Indian Women over 40 suffer from osteoporosis or brittle bones, while another 65-70% suffer from osteopenia or weak bones (a stage before osteoporosis). They also vouch that, “Indians genetically have weaker bones. Postmenopausal changes in the levels of estrogen make women, particularly those over 40, more vulnerable as this hormone plays a pivotal role in bone formation. Deficiency of calcium in the bones leads to osteoporosis”. CALCIUM AND BODY WEIGHT Calcium will not give calories, it will not cause weight gain, 1000mg calcium maintains and helps in loosing weight. WHAT KINDS OF CALCIUM DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS ARE AVAILABLE Calcium is found in many multivitamin-mineral supplements. Dietary supplements that contain only calcium or calcium with other nutrients such as vitamin D are also available. Check the supplement facts label to determine the amount of calcium provided. The two main forms of calcium dietary supplements are carbonate and citrate. Calcium carbonate is inexpensive, but is absorbed best when taken with food. Each supplement will provide 200mg of calcium Calcium citrate is the most expensive form of the supplement absorbed well on an empty or full stomach. Calcium absorption is best when a person consumes no more than 500mg at one time. So a person who takes 1000mg/day of calcium from supplements, for example, should split the dose rather than take all at once. WHAT FORMS OF CALCIUM SHOULD BE AVOIDED Calcium from bone meal, oyster shell (contain lead, mercury, toxic metals), dolomite. EXERCISE IS ALSO IMPORTANT FOR BUILDING BONES Its not just calcium Its not just vitamin D Bones also need weight and movement exercise Physical activity increases bone mass by an average 3% WHAT ELSE IS IMPORATANT FOR BONES? You should not use tobacco to keep your bones healthy Smoking interferes with the body’s use of calcium You should limit caffeine containing foods and beverages, such as colas and coffee. Caffeine causes the body to leech out calcium. SUMMING IT UP Building strong bones before age 18 is the best defense for bones….for a lifetime CHOOSE A balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D Engage in weight bearing exercise

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