Sources of Calcium

Though much has been said about the benefits of calcium found mainly in dairy products, the truth is that a large part of the world doesn’t depend on dairy products for its calcium intake but on plants. Few people know that calcium is present in all foods in varying quantities. For instance, dark green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, collard greens, kale, bok choy and dandelion greens and okra and sweet potatoes are as rich in calcium as fruit including oranges, pears, raisins, prunes, apricots, dates and dried figs. In fact, just one cup of broccoli is equal in calcium content to a quarter of the recommendations of the U.S.RDA.

Rich deposits of calcium are also found in a variety of nuts and seeds such as chestnuts, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts, filberts, and sesame seeds, sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds. Fish and seafood such as salmon, mackerel, sardines, flounder, shrimp, clams and oysters are high repositories of calcium. They include. Besides, calcium is also found in amaranth, quinoa, oats and barley; and in peas, beans, soy products, seaweeds, sprouts and blackstrap molasses. Alfalfa, cayenne, chamomile, kelp and lemongrass are some herbs rich in calcium.

Foods such as turnip greens, spinach, almonds, cashews, rhubarb, and beet, though high in calcium, are also high in oxalic acid, which hinders calcium absorption. When such substances come together in the intestines, the resulting insoluble salts cannot be digested. Adding a teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar to the cooking helps ease the problem.

If you can’t get a continuously good supply of calcium-rich foods, take a calcium supplement with your meals, in powdered form. Give it to your family too but first check the table below for dosages:

Infants: 600 mg/day

Children (up to age 10): 800-1200 mg/day

Adults (up to age 35): 1200 mg/day

Calcium provides detailed information on Calcium, Calcium Supplements, Calcium Deficiency, Calcium Sources and more. Calcium is affiliated with Magnesium Chloride.

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Greatest Advantage of Coral Calcium

Calcium is one of the minerals that are good for the bones and are said to be able to treat some diseases such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s, lupus and cancer. However there are no research studies that have proven that coral calcium is capable of treating diseases better than other carbonated calcium pills which are not expensive.

Coral calcium became widely popular in the internet and health stores lately; however coral calcium pills are the most high priced in the history of pills.

Manufacturers claim that coral calcium is beneficial for treating almost two hundred kinds of diseases and also good for relieving pain. Advertisements and some websites are announcing that coral calcium cures cancer. They site a situation in Okinawa Japan where people who lives there are having a longer life span because the water that they are drinking has high level contents of coral calcium. Coral calcium is making the water into alkaline and it balances the acidity of the body in an individual. So coral calcium are good for acidic persons but be aware that you may experience some difficulties upon swallowing the pills if your acidity body contents are similar as the acidity in the labels imply.

Coral calcium is made out of corals and other sea creature’s shells having higher contents of calcium carbonate and other minerals including magnesium.

Coral calcium is a dietary supplement so it is unregulated. People should learn that such products could not be safe even if its manufacturers are claiming its benefits. As history tells about supplements, there are basically some that has calcium contents that have found out to be unsafe thus some of them was tested to have higher lead contents which are health hazards.

Coral calcium alone cannot fight diseases. It must be combined with drinking mineral or spring water rich in oxygen and higher pH factor and other minerals or elements providing the natural ability of the body to fight back diseases.

Coral calcium is good for increasing the level of oxygen in the body helping it to get rid of toxicity build up. If you are a keen observer, you can determine the feeling of being sluggish after eating junk food or a heavy meal. It is because the oxygen are diverted away from the body’s main metabolic functions making it hard to digest high calories.

Coral calcium offered the greatest advantage of balancing the pH alkaline level in the body in helping the system of the body fight or prevent diseases from attacking.

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Getting the Most Out of Your Calcium

Most of us know calcium is essential for building and maintaining strong bones. But it is also key in supporting healthy blood pressure, easing the discomfort of PMS by 50%, reducing the appearance of fine lines & wrinkles, helps prevent osteoporosis (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition), helps reduce weight in middle aged women (American Dietetic Association), supports healthy pregnancy and lactation, promotes healthy growth in adolescents, plays a critical role in the contraction of skeletal and heart muscles, enhances the effectiveness of electrical impulses passing through neurons , helps maintain proper blood vessel tone, promotes normal blood clotting, contributes to normal osmotic balance in our bodies, promotes colon health, promotes normal regulation of hormones & enzyme production and plays a role in hormone secretion.

Many calcium supplements exist in the marketplace, but only isotonic capable calcium translates into more of the active ingredients available to the body and lower cost when compared to calcium supplements in pill form. Don't be misled by ingredient amounts. What really counts is the amount of active ingredients that your body can ultimately use.

Calcium in tablet form is difficult for your body to absorb. This may be because the tablet is not blended with Vitamin D and magnesium which are necessary to aid in the absorption and use of calcium. In addition these tablets may use DCP, which is a binding agent used to hold the tablet together. DCP does not break down in the body. Even if they have no binders, the body must still break down a hard-pressed tablet into a usable form. If the tablet cannot be broken down sufficiently in the stomach, then the calcium will not be absorbed.

Absorption is also affected by the digestive system. All substances, except isotonic solutions, that are introduced to the stomach go through a degradation process before they can be passed to the small intestine to allow absorption. During this process substances lose some nutritional value.

All fluids in the human body have a certain concentration, which is called the osmotic pressure. An isotonic solution is a solution that is the same pressure as your body fluids. When taken on an empty stomach, an isotonic substance will be absorbed into the bloodstream rapidly because your stomach will allow it to pass to the small intestine without going through the digestive process. With isotonic fluids, very little nutritional value is lost making the absorption of nutrients highly efficient.

Ordinary calcium tablets require stomach acid to dissolve its compounds, but isotonic calcium has no need of stomach acid to be utilized. It delivers an efficient calcium solution that is more readily absorbed by the intestine. Do not confuse all liquid supplements as isotonic capable. They are not. While liquids may have a better rate of absorption when compared to pills, they are not necessarily in an isotonic state.

It is important to get the most out of calcium that an optimal blend of calcium, vitamin D3, magnesium, vitamin C and boron are provided in an efficient isotonic solution. The best form of calcium is calcium carbonate which is utilized by the body more efficiently, due to the fact that it increases the absorbability. Additionally, calcium is more readily absorbed by the body when combined with magnesium, manganese, vitamin D3, vitamin C, vitamin B2, boron and potassium.

We can only absorb 300 to 400 mg of calcium at a time, so it important to take multiple doses per day to reach the recommended amounts. According to the National Academy of Sciences, most adults require 1000 to 1200 mg per day. While we get some from the food we eat, most likely we are not consuming enough calcium in our foods.

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Calcium Supplementation and Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis, one of the most terrible long-term consequences of estrogen deficiency, is common among post menopausal women, but it is not inevitable. A healthy diet, especially the consumption of adequate amounts of calcium and other minerals, has a significant part to play in both preventing and in slowing the progression of this disease. Generally, for healthy bones, women require 800 to 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. During menopause, calcium needs increase to 1,000 to 1,500 milligrams daily.

Examples of food sources of calcium include dairy products, salmon, tuna, sardines, green leafy vegetables and tofu. You must check from time to time to see if your daily diet provides you with an adequate amount of calcium. If your diet falls short of this, or if you are not sure, take a good-quality calcium tablet to give you 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily.

One of the best sources of calcium to combat post menopausal osteoporosis is milk. A cup of milk daily will give a good start to meeting your calcium requirements. When it comes to cow's milk, calcium-enriched milk is recommended, which is low in fat and much higher in calcium than skim milk. If you are on a dairy-free diet, you may choose calcium-enriched soy milk instead. Some soy milks are calcium-enriched; while others are low in calcium, so it is bets to read labels to be sure the product you purchase is a good source of calcium.

There are a number of different supplemental sources of calcium. Bone meal, which comes from the ground bones of young animals, contains calcium from microcrystalline hydroxyapatite. Bone meal calcium is well absorbed, but it is possible for it to be contaminated with heavy metals such as lead. Calcium carbonate, which contains 40 percent elemental calcium, is the most concentrated and inexpensive form, but its absorption varies. Calcium lactate, calcium citrate and calcium gluconate are less concentrated forms of calcium, containing only about 15 percent elemental calcium but are better absorbed than carbonate forms.

Some calcium supplements contain a mixture of different types of calcium to improve absorption. Many good calcium supplements also contain vitamin D, which enhances the absorption of calcium from the intestines. Calcium is best absorbed when taken on an empty stomach. It should not be taken, however, with high fiber-foods such as cereals, grains and legumes, as this will reduce its absorption. It can be taken with dairy products, fruits, vegetables and meats.

In addition to making sure you obtain enough calcium in your diet, avoid making dietary mistakes that can steal minerals from your bones. Keep your consumption of protein from animal sources to no more than 50 grams daily. This is the equivalent of the amount of protein found in six-ounces serving of meat or fish plus one eight-ounce glass of milk.

Our bones contain magnesium and the trace minerals zinc, boron, silica and manganese in addition to calcium and studies suggest that adequate amounts of all these different minerals are more effective than calcium alone in preventing bone loss during menopause. If you are on menopause and if your diet is not always perfect, it is bets you take a trace mineral tablet that contain all of these minerals.

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(Marine Coral Calcium) Alternative Calcium Supplement

Many people have no idea about marine coral calcium, what are its health benefits. Or maybe it is their first time to encounter this term. However, what really is marine coral calcium?

Simply defined, it is considered as one of the best calcium supplements that were ever discovered. It is proven much better and finer than the other types of calcium supplements. The intensity of risks for taking such is also limited.

There are two different types of marine coral calcium with respect from where they originated. One type is called the fossilized calcium, which is commonly found washed up on seashore. The second type is called marine bed coral calcium that is obviously useful. It is derived from the bed area of the sea. Since it is found on the seabed, this is generally composed of corals. Moreover, it is potent and more effective than the fossilized calcium.

The two types of marine coral calcium are both being processed naturally and the normal motion of the waves of the sea is responsible for doing this. The process helps the corals to retain its organic elements and its minerals. This is the reason why the use of seabed corals calcium is more efficient than fossilized calcium.

One of the most significant elements on marine coral calcium is Magnesium. This element plays an important role for the marine coral calcium to do its job on our system. With proper ratio of coral calcium and the amount of magnesium, it will surely create an immense benefit on our health. Taking marine coral calcium as supplement everyday, as experts say would help us prevent degenerative diseases such as hypertensions, heart attacks and diabetes.

Adult people are advised to take marine coral calcium because this serves as a preventive ingredient against heart failures. It performs functions for neutralizing the processes within the system of a person.

Marine coral calcium can be considered as the best alternative calcium supplement. It has large extracts of minerals and organic elements, which comes from a very natural process and established to ward off common diseases that are the major cause of deaths nowadays.

So, why try to risk your lives on different diseases due to deficiency in calcium. Marine coral calcium is the best choice. Marine coral calcium is the key to your good health and a lifetime diet. Now that you know its significance, you can incorporate it in your diet.

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Coral Calcium May Hold the Secret to Lifelong Health

If you don't know what coral calcium is, it's a type of calcium supplement that is made from coral (hence the name). Coral calcium is the hottest source for one of the minerals most critical to your bodys health. In essence, you can say that coral calcium is the same substance as the calcium you’ll find in your bones. Because coral calcium is ionic and readily bioavailable, it does not become a free radical in the process and donates electrons to repair the damaged cells.

The ability of Coral Calcium to help with the body's balancing of the pH may prove to be one of it's most important health benefits. Here's a quick overview of Coral Calcium benefits:

1- Coral calcium has an optimal 2 to 1 ratio of calcium and magnesium, and it also contains trace minerals in perfect balance

2- The calcium, magnesium and trace minerals balance is in natural proportions to the human body

3- Coral calcium has the best absorption compared to other forms of calcium

4- Coral calcium has the highest HDL (good) cholesterol density

5- Coral calcium balances your pH levels for better health

6- Helps strengthen bones and teeth

7- Cleanse kidneys, intestines, and liver while breaking down heavy metals in the body

8- Coral calcium helps boost the immune system In a nut shell, there are greater advantages to supplementing coral calcium compared to other forms of calcium.

"Most health professionals recommend that you get your nutrients from your diet first, so calcium-rich foods are the first thing they recommend," says Miller, who is a senior vice president of nutrition and scientific affairs at the National Dairy Council.

The category of nutritional supplements is definitely where you're going to find those supplemental products that enhance health rather than harming your health in the way that patent medications do. If you want to exceed those requirements and actually have superior health (that is health that goes beyond just preventing disease and actually taps into the mental and physical performance potential of the human being), then you will need to supplement at very high levels. It's just that if you're looking for what's truly healthy you're only going to find them from the natural world and never from the world of manufactured, synthesized drugs.

If we don't use food supplements to keep us healthy, we certainly cannot be healthy. Like many other supplements, we believe coral calcium is beneficial to your body in many ways. Also, if one is supplementing with whole food supplements, is it also necessary to supplement with calcium and other vitamins and minerals. Although much is known about most of the individual minerals in coral calcium in regards to human health, we don't know much about the combination of all of them and how coral calcium supplements in general affect human health and disease. We do know that calcium and magnesium supplements have many health benefits.

Coral calcium is a valuable, holistic, mineral, dietary supplement which poses many important issues, ranging from discussion about our current mineral-depleted Western diet to concerns about the ecology and future of coral reefs.

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Calcium Plays an Important Role in the Way Our Body Functions

Growing up we probably all have been told at one time or another to drink our milk and to eat low fat dairy products. The reason we were told this is because our parents and caregivers knew that by consuming calcium rich foods our bodies would greatly benefit and our bones and teeth would be healthy and strong.

They were right as it is true calcium plays a crucial role in the development and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. However, calcium not only helps to keep our bones and teeth strong and healthy it is a very important and essential nutrient for the entire body. Calcium also plays a very important part in keeping our heart muscles healthy, it helps to control and regulate our heart beat and it help our nerves function and assists with many other bodily functions.

Everybody needs calcium in their diets. Young children and teenagers need sufficient calcium in their diets so they can take full advantage of the calcium storage in their bones. As we age, we need to get sufficient dietary calcium to help us minimize the loss of calcium from our bones because the majority of the body's calcium, approximately ninety-nine percent, is stored in your bones. We also need an adequate amount of calcium in the body because the other one percent is stored in the rest of the body and is for all other bodily functions.

Some good sources of calcium are low fat dairy products, fruits, and fortified cereals and grains. However, due to processing and manufacturing the majority of the nutrients in the food we eat are depleted. So, it is sad to say, we really are not getting as much calcium from our diet as we think we are. It is safe to say that it makes a lot of sense to take calcium supplements along with eating a healthy diet to make sure that our bodies get what it needs.

Even though supplementation is a good idea you should know that not all calcium supplements are created equal. One such calcium supplement that is well absorbed by the body and is very beneficially all bodily functions is called coral calcium. But what is Coral Calcium? Simply put, Coral Calcium is just calcium. However, coral calcium benefits have an advantage over other types of calcium. Marine coral calcium has a wide range and optimal mix of major and trace minerals. It contains calcium, magnesium and trace minerals, and the ratios of these minerals match the human body's ratio perfectly.

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Calcium Supplements - Picking the Right One for You

If you have trouble sometimes picking out a good calcium supplement, you are not alone. Choosing a calcium supplement can be a frustrating experience, even for health care professionals. The reason is simple. In U.S, calcium supplements are prepared and sold in different formulations, each claiming to be the right one for you. The fact that there are as many brand names as there are formulations makes it even more confusing for an average consumer. However, the situation is not entirely hopeless. Knowing what you should look for when shopping for a calcium supplement can make your experience less frustrating.

The first thing you should do when shopping for a supplement is take a few minutes to read the “supplement facts” label found on the supplement bottle. On it, you will find the serve size or dose for the supplement, the kind of calcium compound it contains, amount per serving, and percent daily value. Percent daily value is simply the percentage of the daily value provided by one serving.

Secondly, determine the calcium content per serving of the supplement. You can do so by identifying the kind of calcium compound used in the supplement. Different calcium compounds have different amounts of calcium (or elemental calcium). For example, calcium carbonate is 40% calcium; dicalcium phosphate is 38% calcium; calcium citrate is 21% calcium; calcium lactate is 13% calcium by weight and calcium gluconate is 9% calcium. What this means is that if you take 500 mg of calcium carbonate, for instance, you will get 200 mg of calcium. By contrast, you will have to take at least 950 mg of calcium citrate in order to get the same amount of calcium.

Next, consider how well the supplement dissolves. This is what sets apart good calcium supplements from bad ones. If the supplement does not dissolve well in your stomach, you are unlikely to get maximum benefit from it. To test how well the supplement dissolves, place a pill in a cup containing warm water. Let it sit for 30 minutes while stirring occasionally. If it does not dissolve well after 30 minutes, it is unlikely to dissolve well in your stomach.

Absorbability is also an important feature of a good calcium supplement. Calcium carbonate is well absorbed by most people, but calcium citrate is often recommended for those with digestive or absorption problems. You can also improve absorption of any calcium supplement by taking it in doses of 500 mg or less and with vitamin D. Calcium carbonate should be taken with food while calcium citrate can be taken any time during the day.

Good calcium supplements meet certain purity standards indicated by the use of the abbreviation USP, which stands for United States Pharmacopeia. Choose only supplements that have this symbol on their labels. Avoid calcium from unrefined oyster shell, bone meal, or dolomite without the USP symbol; they may contain high levels of lead or other toxic metals.

Finally, check how well you tolerate the supplement. Some calcium supplements produce side effects such as constipation, gas, and stomach upset. If you develop any of these side effects, try the steps discussed above under absorbability. If those steps do not help you, try a different supplement. You may also consult with your doctor or pharmacist.

Anyone looking for a calcium supplement can easily find one in the stores; picking out the right one for you is a different story. So, before you buy, read the “supplement facts” label carefully. Determine the calcium compound in the supplement and its calcium content. Test how well it dissolves and your level of tolerance for it. Choose supplements with the USP abbreviation on their labels. If you develop side effects from your supplement, try a different one, or consult with your doctor.

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What is Coral Calcium and Where Does it Come From?

Coral calcium is a dietary supplement said to be derived from "remnants of living coral that have fallen from coral reefs, as a result of wave action or other natural processes. According to the coral calcium infomercial, taking coral calcium can cure up to 200 human diseases including heart disease, cancer, diabetes etc. When you start taking coral calcium, your body alkalizes and drives out the body's acidic state. Coral calcium is composed of mostly calcium carbonate, just like those you found in Tums or other calcium carbonate supplements from your health food stores.


Coral is composed of tiny, fragile living organisms called coral polyps. Coral reefs are among the worlds most fragile and endangered ecosystems, strict laws are enforced to preserve them. Since coral reefs are protected by law, "coral calcium" is made by grinding up dead coral called limestone that no longer contains live organisms. Coral grains are mined from fossilized coral beds on the coastline, and pumped from coral beds in shallow waters. Coral calcium supplements come from fossilized coral beds. Since it is severely illegal to mine "live" coral reefs, coral calcium has to come from a different source which is dead coral loaded with calcium and trace minerals.

For people who need to consume extra calcium, coral calcium may be the best choice. The body absorbs coral calcium better than other calcium supplements in the market mostly due to the trace minerals also found in coral. The calcium content of coral calcium ranges from 24% to 38% and is composed primarily of calcium carbonate. Ninety-eight percent of people over age 60 are totally calcium-deficient meaning, they are not consuming enough calcium to sustain current bone density.

Most of the body's calcium is stored in the bones, which can release whatever amounts are needed to maintain adequate blood levels, this causes bone loss. Historically, calcium supplements haven't always been safe: years ago calcium carbonate from bone meal or oyster shells, for instance, was used in some supplements -but was later found to contain high levels of lead and other heavy metals. Now with new technology and strict government laws calcium is very safe.

Like many other supplements, coral calcium is beneficial to your body in many ways. And unlike other calcium supplements, coral calcium does have special properties that make it worth strongly considering as a supplement to your daily diet, mainly trace minerals. Almost every cell in the body, including those in the heart, nerves, and muscles; relies on calcium to function properly.

Calcium deficiency can weaken bones (osteoporosis), but it does not make the body more acidic or cause a wide range of diseases. The body needs about two times as much calcium compared to any other mineral. The body of an unhealthy person is acidic, or has low pH this acidic state cause's disease. Over 35% of the body's mineral makeup consists of calcium, which literally performs hundreds of operations essential to our everyday lives. Are you getting enough?

Consumers should be aware of the claims that coral calcium can treat or cure cancer, multiple sclerosis, lupus, heart disease, or high blood pressure are not supported by existing scientific evidence. Most of the health claims being made about coral calcium from Okinawa are based on the fact that the Okinawan's are among the world's longest lived people and supposedly drink water containing coral calcium.

In conclusion, there is no medical evidence to support these claims, and coral calcium has been identified by the United States Food and Drug Administration as a Fake Cancer Cure Consumers Should Avoid. Most of the claims are based on how calcium can bring the body into a more alkaline state and this alkaline state strengthens the body and helps it fight disease over time. Knowing this, have you had your coral calcium today?

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Benefits of Calcium, Calcium Rich Food and Calcium Deficiency

Calcium is an essential dietary mineral for healthy bones and strong teeth. A constant blood calcium level is essential for the maintenance of the normal heartbeat, and for the usual functioning of nerves and muscles.

Advantages of calcium -

# Calcium ion is essential for a large variety of important physiological functions, including muscle contraction, nerve stimulation, hormonal release, cell membrane, permeability, proper enzyme function.

# Calcium is necessary to stabilize the activity of a number of proteins and enzymes. The binding of calcium ions is required for the activation of "vitamin K-dependent" clotting aspects in the blood coagulation process.

# Calcium, especially calcium derived from dairy products help adjust body fat.

# Calcium helps slow bone loss in postmenopausal women, may reduce premenstrual syndrome symptoms, and is associated with reduced threat of colorectal cancer.

# The body requires calcium to make strong teeth and healthy bones. The bones serve as the storage place for the body's calcium. They continuously release calcium into the bloodstream, and then keep replacing it as the body's requirement for calcium arises. When calcium intake is low, there is poor absorption; and there is a high probability of bone breakdown because the body uses up the stored calcium to perform normal biological functions.

# Calcium is also needed for muscle contraction and maintenance of cell membranes.

# Calcium supplements help alleviate mood swings, food cravings, pain, and bloating associated with premenstrual syndrome.

What is the recommended daily requirement of calcium?

Optimal calcium intake depends according to a person's age, sex, and ethnicity.

The U.S. Recommended Dietary Allowance for calcium is 1,000 milligrams per day - given for adults (except pregnant or lactating women) and children over 4 years of age.

It is about 1200 milligrams for individuals older than 50 years of age.

The calcium intake of vegans tends to be slightly below the recommended optimal amounts but the body does adapt to lower intakes. Since vegetarians have a slightly lower protein intake and rule out meat from their diet, encourages their bodies to retain calcium so their dietary need is relatively lower.

Sources of Calcium -

Dairy products (milk, yoghurt, cottage cheese, cheese) are the main sources of calcium. Individuals with lactose intolerance (people who cannot completely digest the milk sugar lactose) and those who are vegans tend to avoid or eliminate dairy products from their diet. We all know that it is important for vegetarians to meet calcium needs with alternative calcium sources.

Good vegan sources of calcium include tofu (if prepared from calcium sulphate), green leafy vegetables, dried figs, broccoli, seeds and nuts. Some soya milks, instant breakfast cereals are also fortified with calcium. Drinking water can provide as much as 200mg of calcium daily, as hard water contains a rich source of calcium.

Although most grains are not high in calcium, they do contribute calcium to the diet because they are consumed regularly and frequently.

What affects calcium absorption and excretion from the body?

Only 20-30% of calcium in the average diet is absorbed into the body, the rest gets excreted.

A high protein diet, especially based on animal foods, causes calcium loss in the body. The higher sulphur-to-calcium ratio of meat increases calcium excretion.

Calcium absorption can also be affected by the amount of calcium present in the body, amount of vitamin D presence (helps improve calcium absorption), age, pregnancy (intestinal calcium absorption increases during pregnancy), fibre content in diet etc. The amount of calcium consumed at one time such as in a meal is inversely related to the absorption rate.

Calcium excretion refers to the amount of calcium eliminated from the body through urine, feces and sweat. Calcium excretion is affected by factors such as amount of sodium, protein, caffeine and potassium in diet.

Calcium is lost in cooking some foods even under the best conditions.

To retain calcium:

* Foods are best cooked in a minimal amount of water.

* Cook food for the shortest possible time.



What does calcium deficiency lead to?

Osteoporosis: major cause of bone fractures in the elderly, especially women. Prevention includes an adequate intake of calcium throughout life, but especially in childhood and young adulthood; and reducing trigger factors such as smoking, heavy drinking and lack of physical exercise.

Diets high in protein and salt also increase calcium loss from the body. Post-menopausal women are more prone because they produce less oestrogen, which protects the skeleton in younger women.

Rickets is a childhood disorder involving softening and weakening of the bones. It is caused by lack of vitamin D, calcium, or phosphate. Deficiency of vitamin D leads to improper regulation of calcium and phosphate. Symptoms of rickets in children include delayed sitting, crawling, walking and the development of bowlegs

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Looking For A Calcium But Not Sure Which Is Best For You?

Calcium is essential to good health, but if you are looking for calcium it can be confusing to decide in which form you take it. There are so many available and every one claims to be good for you, so why the difference? Why not just sell the best and let us all know what it is? Well, this same argument could be applied to all supplements that are sold in different forms, and also to many foodstuffs.


The supplement best for you might not be the best for the next person due to dietary requirements each persons diet is different, so it is better to learn about what is available then make your choice based upon knowledge rather than ignorance. It is not only the source of the calcium you have to bother about, but also the other vitamins that have be present to make sure that that the calcium is absorbed by the body in the way that you want it to be.

To understand that then you need to learn why the body needs calcium, other than just the bones and teeth that everybody knows about. After all, why else do we need calcium? It is only contained in bones and teeth - right? Wrong!

Although 99% of calcium is contained in your bones and teeth, 1% is contained in the blood, muscles and central nervous system. With out that 1% we would all die. Without teeth we would not. Calcium is essential for blood clotting and for the proper function of our muscles, brain and central nervous system. Calcium combines with phosphorus to create healthy bones and teeth, and is essential early in life to build up a strong skeleton. Note that phosphorus is also necessary so we also need an adequate supply of that mineral.

Calcium is essential to allow muscles to properly contract. Without that ability, muscles could not work, and a deficiency of calcium causes muscle cramps and spasms. The movement of the smooth muscles is regulated by a protein that is bound to calcium. This is just one of the uses of the calcium in the body that most people are unaware of.

Calcium also takes part in the binding process of the blood platelets during the coagulation of blood. Although most people are aware of the need for vitamin K and fibrin, in fact calcium is also essential in its interaction with the platelets in the coagulation cascade that eventually results in a blood clot that stops bleeding. Basically, without calcium, the blood could not form a clot. In addition to its effect on blood clotting, calcium also plays an essential part in the movement of ions through the membranes of nerve cells, and without it intercellular communication could not occur. Our nerve impulses would not occur and the body again would not be in a working condition.

However, the body has a way of modulating the calcium level in the blood past a minimum level needed for effective nerve cell communication, and below a certain level it can even use the calcium in the bones to divert to the more needy areas of the body. It is therefore not possible for the body to fail through a lack of calcium. The skeleton would disintegrate first. Nevertheless, nobody wants a disintegrating skeleton since that would be counterproductive to effective movement of the body, so a good source of calcium is essential for overall bodily health, not just that of the teeth and the bones.

There are many sources of calcium, but some are more suitable for absorption by the body than others. Chalk, or calcium carbonate, is an excellent source of calcium, but will fail to promote bone growth if your diet does not contain sufficient potassium, vitamin D, magnesium and strontium needed to make it work to build healthy bones. It is the most common on the shelves, and likely the cheapest, but not necessarily the best source. It is basically chalk or limestone, and only 10% of the supplement will actually become available for your body to use.

The bioavailability of a calcium supplement is a figure that indicates how much of the calcium is actually absorbed by the body during digestion. It is important that the supplement is digested and absorbed properly or the calcium will not be available for use. This availability is called the 'bioavailability'. Calcium citrate has a bioavailabilty of 50%, but the size of the citrate part of the molecule is so large that only 10.5% of the molecule is available to the body as calcium. Not much more than the carbonate.

Calcium aspartate is highly soluble and produced by reacting calcium with aspartic acid to form the soluble salt. It is much easier to assimilate and be absorbed by the body than any of the forms above. The amino acid, aspartic acid, delivers the calcium exactly to where it is needed, where it is absorbed and used. Although a bioavailability figure is not available, it is not the amount of calcium that is significant here but the fact that it comes with its own transportation system and is immediately available where needed.

If you want to calculate the availability for yourself, find the molecular weight of the particular calcium product, and then the weight of the calcium contained within it. For example, in calcium carbonate, CaCO3, the molecular weight is 100 (40 + 12 + 3x16) and the atomic weigh of calcium is 40, so the amount of calcium present in 1000g calcium carbonate is 40% or 400g. Only 25% of calcium carbonate is absorbed, so only 10%, or 100g, of calcium is available for each 1000g supplement.

Calcium citrate on the hand (Ca3(C6H5O7)2.4H2O) has a molecular weight of 570, so the amount of calcium present is 3*40*100/570 = 21%. Since the bioavailability of calcium citrate is 50%, the amount of calcium available is only 10.5%, or 105g in 1000g citrate. You can carry out the same calculation on all the molecules if you know how much is absorbed by the body.

The bioavailability is calcium aspartate is 85%. Its molecular formula is [C4H6NO2]2Ca, and molecular weight 304. The calcium availability is therefore 40*100/304 = 13.16%. If 85% is absorbed, then 1000g provides 80% of 13.16 x 10 = 115.6g. The aspartate therefore wins it.

Amino acid chelates can also be used as a source of calcium, and its bioavailability is improved tremendously by including vitamin D and magnesium in the supplement. The bioavailability of these calcium chelates are not quoted, but is claimed to be high. Whether or not it is as high as the aspartame is debatable, though it is claimed to be.

Calcium is a very important mineral for human health, and there are several different supplements that can be used. The bioavailability of the calcium is different in each supplement, though the organic forms, calcium aspartate and amino acid calcium chelates appear to be the highest. When looking for a calcium supplement look for one with additional minerals added as mentioned above to help improve absorption and usability by the body.

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The Ezorb 92 % Calcium Absorption Claim

EZorb is Calcium Anhydrous Aspartate, and like most difficult-to-pronounce ingredients, is not the best thing to be ingesting. It costs little to manufacture, but with a very good marketing story it sells for a relatively high price. Most Calcium Brands are simply not complete products, but we find the Ezorb marketing story runs contrary to proven science and dangerously misleads people for several reasons.

In their website, they claim a “world record 92% Calcium absorption” which is “up to 20 times higher than any other calcium supplement”. They have presented no clinical evidence to support this exaggerated claim in spite of the scientific-looking graphs and text.

Arguably the leading Calcium researcher in America is Dr. Robert Heaney of Creighton University with more published papers on Calcium absorption than any other author. Dr. Heaney, an independent University research scientist, has tested dozens of calcium forms over the years and has found most to have acceptable absorption. Contrary to popular marketing hype, published studies show most Calcium supplements today are about 30% absorbed – quite acceptable compared to the 4.6% absorption implied by Elixir above. In a recent Journal of Nutrition article Heaney discusses “the usually exaggerated marketing claims of superior performance of one (Calcium) salt relative to another”, saying “this emphasis seems inappropriate and misdirected from both cost-benefit and nutritional considerations”(6). In other words, calcium bio-availability is constantly presented as a bigger problem than it really is by calcium manufacturers eager to demonstrate a market advantage. (1-15) We have no affiliation to Dr. Heaney, but find his independent research more compelling than the marketing hype of Elixir Industry. Most calciums are absorbed sufficiently so there is no advantage to one that is 92% absorbed. If you read on, you will see a significant disadvantage of highly absorbed calcium, though.

Ezorb’s Big Kidney Stone Fallacy

Their claim that any calcium supplement which is not completely absorbed contributes to kidney stones is based on very old, and highly speculative information which has long since been refuted over and over. In fact the very opposite is true – unabsorbed Calcium prevents kidney stone formation! We take great exception to companies trying to scare an often elderly population into buying their products with out of date information. Many recent studies show that the free calcium which is not absorbed combines with oxalates and other toxins, so it is very helpful for cleaning up the blood and PREVENTING kidney stones.

Discussing calcium and kidney stones, Professor Robert Heaney says “…nutritionally, there seems to be very little advantage to improving absorbability because unabsorbed calcium exhibits valuable functionality in it’s own right. Calcium remaining in food residue forms complexes with harmful substances left over from digestion, such as oxalic acid, unabsorbed fatty acids and bile acids. This complexation is the mechanism by which high calcium diets reduce the risk of kidney stones and colon cancer.”
Heaney continues “Theoretically, (calcium) sources with high intrinsic absorbability…could meet the body’s skeletal needs for calcium, but they would leave unmet the detoxification function that unabsorbed calcium serves… In brief, there is little or no nutritional advantage to ingesting one’s calcium in a form with absorbability higher than that of natural calcium sources (6).” In other words, if Ezorb really is 92% absorbed you are missing the protective effect against kidney stones and colon cancer that less absorbed Calcium forms offer.

Bone Growth, Not Calcium Absorption is Key

Ezorb has no reputable clinical research supporting bone growth, the study they refer to was done in China, a country known for scientific corruption. Just a few days ago the head of the Chinese FDA was sent to jail for allowing this kind of corruption to occur. Bio-availability is only one relatively unimportant first step. The real issue is bone growth which has not been demonstrated in any real clinical study. Testimonials are interesting, but they do not prove a product’s efficacy.

References

1: Heaney RP, Rafferty K, Dowell MS, Bierman J. Calcium fortification systems differ in bioavailability. J Am Diet Assoc. 2005 May;105(5):807-9.
3: Martin BR, Weaver CM, Heaney RP, Packard PT, Smith DL. Calcium absorption from three salts and CaSO(4)-fortified bread in premenopausal women. J Agric Food Chem. 2002 Jun 19;50(13):3874-6.
4: Heaney RP, Dowell MS, Bierman J, Hale CA, Bendich A. Absorbability and cost effectiveness in calcium supplementation. J Am Coll Nutr. 2001 Jun;20(3):239-46.
5: Heaney RP. Meta-analysis of calcium bioavailability. Am J Ther. 2001 Jan-Feb;8(1):73-4.
6: Heaney RP. Factors influencing the measurement of bioavailability, taking calcium as a model. J Nutr. 2001 Apr;131(4 Suppl):1344S-8S
7: Heaney RP, Dowell MS, Rafferty K, Bierman J. Bioavailability of the calcium in fortified soy imitation milk, with some observations on method. Am J Clin Nutr. 2000 May;71(5):1166-9.
8: Hanes DA, Weaver CM, Heaney RP, Wastney M. Absorption of calcium oxalate does not require dissociation in rats. J Nutr. 1999 Jan;129(1):170-3.
9: Weaver CM, Heaney RP, Martin BR, Fitzsimmons ML. Human calcium absorption from whole-wheat products. J Nutr. 1991 Nov;121(11):1769-75.
10: Heaney RP. Calcium supplements: practical considerations. Osteoporos Int. 1991 Feb;1(2):65-71.
11: Heaney RP, Weaver CM. Calcium absorption from kale. Am J Clin Nutr. 1990 Apr;51(4):656-7.
12: Heaney RP, Weaver CM. Oxalate: effect on calcium absorbability. Am J Clin Nutr. 1989 Oct;50(4):830-2.
13: Heaney RP, Weaver CM, Recker RR. Calcium absorbability from spinach. Am J Clin Nutr. 1988 Apr;47(4):707-9.
14: Smith KT, Heaney RP, Flora L, Hinders SM. Calcium absorption from a new calcium delivery system (CCM). Calcif Tissue Int. 1987 Dec;41(6):351-2.
15: Heaney RP. Calcium bioavailability. Bol Asoc Med P R. 1987 Jan;79(1):27-9.

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