Calcium is vital for bone health.
It is also needed for many other bodily functions, such as regulating
heartbeat, conducting nerve impulses, making muscles contract and helping
blood clot. The daily recommendation for calcium is 500mg for toddlers,
800mg for kids age 4-8 years, 1,300 mg for older kids 9-18 yr, 1000mg
for adults up to age 50 and 1200mg for ages 51 and older.
The best way to get
calcium is in your diet. If you drink milk and eat dairy products or other
fortified drinks such as orange juice, soymilk, tofu and cereals you will
be getting significant amounts of calcium. If you don’t eat or drink
these food products often you should consider a supplement.
You can take calcium as calcium carbonate or calcium citrate. Calcium
citrate is best absorbed and does not need to be taken with food. Calcium
carbonate is better absorbed with food. Calcium citrate is more expensive
than Calcium carbonate. It is only absorbed in 500mg doses so take a 500
mg pill 2x a day and then fill in with your diet or take a third pill
if you needs are over 1000mg and you do not eat or drink foods high in
calcium. Some foods high in fiber reduce calcium absorption. If you eat
wheat bran in the morning, take your calcium at lunch. Fiber from oats
and other grains including psyllium such as Metamucil does not appear
to be a problem.
Calcium absorption requires vitamin D. Most of us in Southern California
get enough vitamin D from the sun just by doing our normal outdoor activities.
If you don’t get natural D from the sun then you can take a calcium
tablet with vitamin D or a multivitamin which has enough vitamin D to
solve the problem.
To know which foods are high in calcium and other nutrients you can access
the website www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search the only database in
the world that’s free and kept up to date.
Also daily weight-bearing exercise is essential for strong bones.
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