We (Mestory team) are convinced that health control should be simple and clear, in this case it can become a useful habit, and then a way of life. It is difficult to monitor your health if it causes some inconvenience, and it is difficult to maintain a balanced diet if you do not understand what these or those micronutrients are for. Today we'll talk about calcium.
We all heard in childhood that milk contains a lot of calcium, which is good for teeth. So, for most people, the knowledge about calcium ends there, and calcium remains underestimated.
Calcium takes up about 1 kg in the body of an adult, and 99% of it is contained in the bones, and the rest of it provides:
It turns out that calcium is vital for almost all body systems: for bones and teeth, for the health of the nervous, muscular and cardiovascular systems.
Calcium is the main component of the bones. In childhood it is needed for the growth and proper formation of the skeleton. In adolescence - for the strength of the bones. Bones are also a tissue. They wear out and renew. From about 30 to 55 years old, there is not enough new bone tissue for renewal as it begins the aging process.
It is important that the body gets enough calcium at any age.
Here's how much calcium your body needs during different times in life
The IOM 2010 (Institute of Medicine of the US National Academy of Sciences) guidelines:
Before adolescence:
0-6 months - 200 mg / day
6-12 months - 250 mg / day
1-3 years - 700 mg / day
4-8 years - 1000 mg / day
9-18 years - 1300 mg / day
For women:
19-50 years old - 1000 mg / day
51+ - 1200 mg / day
Pregnancy, lactation 19-50 years old - 1000 mg / day
For men:
19-70 years old - 1000 mg / day
71+ - 1200 mg / day
Calcium balance is regulated by these hormones:
Calcitonin - is produced by the thyroid gland and prevents the destruction of bones.
Calcitriol - is synthesized from vitamin D and closely interacts with PTH.
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) - in pair with calcitriol promotes the absorption of calcium into the bloodstream and its entry into the bones.
Sources of Calcium:
Calcium for vegans
By the way, caffeine provokes flushing out calcium from the body. To compensate for the loss of it, a glass of milk should be drunk for one cup of coffee.
Calcium deficiency symptoms:
Of course, with such symptoms, few people think about lack of calcium, most often, unfortunately, they are rarely paid attention to at all. However, having analyzed your nutrition, it is quite possible to make such a conclusion.
We recommend not to ignore these symptoms and even take a blood test to find out for sure, because calcium deficiency has serious consequences:
What will happen from an excess of calcium?
Everything should be in moderation, and calcium is no exception. An excess can also harm: the work of the cardiovascular and muscular systems is disrupted, and at a dosage of 2500 mg and above there is a risk of kidney stones formation.
Make sure your diet is balanced and contains all the necessary micronutrients. This is the very first and simplest thing we can do for our health and longevity.