Getting enough calcium into the bones? Ten facts you should know!

Website design By BotEap.comA while back, a fellow member of an email list I belong to asked the following:
“What do you take for calcium if you don’t get enough from your diet? I used to take Tums, but now I hear they don’t do anything. Any suggestions?”

Website design By BotEap.comI said there are 10 facts you need to know to make sure you get the calcium you need and not waste your time or money.

Website design By BotEap.comThe first fact you need to know is that you need an acidic pH in your stomach to help absorb calcium. Our bodies supply this naturally with our own stomach acid. If you have a healthy digestive system that hasn’t been abused with antacids, that’s fine. But as we age, some people’s stomachs secrete less acid; To guard against this, some companies add Betaine HCl, a digestive enzyme, and vitamin C to their calcium supplements to ensure proper pH.

Website design By BotEap.comSo what is Tums? It is an antacid that uses a very cheap form of calcium called calcium carbonate which has an antacid effect of its own and therefore is poorly absorbed and does not get calcium into your system. Remember, it’s not what you eat/drink… it’s what you absorb!

Website design By BotEap.comThe second fact to know is that the two best-absorbed calcium are calcium citrate and microcrystalline hydroxyapatite concentrate (MCHC). MCHC is a complete bone food; it contains proteins (to produce collagen – the meshwork that calcium/minerals bind together to form bone) and other minerals that comprise the organic poetry of bone. Ollagen and other minerals give flexibility to your bones.

Website design By BotEap.comCalcium citrate produces a higher maximum level of calcium in the blood. This is an interesting finding because carbonate supplements actually contain more calcium per pill than those with citrate; again it is what you absorb.

Website design By BotEap.comI personally use a supplement that contains MCHC and calcium citrate.

Website design By BotEap.comThe third fact you need to know is how to read the label on calcium supplements; most labels will include:

Website design By BotEap.comCalcium citrate (1 tablet) …………………. 250 mg

Website design By BotEap.comBut what you want to see on the list is elemental calcium; that’s how much calcium you’re getting; the remainder is the citrate part of the compound.

Website design By BotEap.comCalcium (Elemental)……………………….100mg.

Website design By BotEap.comThe fourth fact is that you need to take magnesium along with calcium; Magnesium helps activate parathyroid hormone and vitamin D that helps us absorb calcium in our digestive system, as well as working as a counterweight to calcium in nerve stimulation/relaxation and preventing us from becoming constipated from taking too much calcium. The currently accepted ratio of calcium to magnesium is 2 to 1:(Ca 200/Mg 100).

Website design By BotEap.comThe fifth fact is that you need vitamin D to absorb calcium. The current RDA is 200-400 IU, although with all the current research on vitamin D and its effect on our immune, cardiovascular, bone, joint and muscle systems, some suggest the new RDA is 1000-400 IU. 2000 IU. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin and can build up to toxic levels (over 10,000 IUs a day), so be careful if you’re taking cod liver oil or something similar. Always read the labels carefully. Also try to get 20 minutes a day in the sun without sunscreen so your body can make its own vitamin D.

Website design By BotEap.comThe sixth fact is that you should take your calcium supplement in the evening hours, as this is when your parathyroid gland is most active. Increases gastrointestinal calcium absorption by activating vitamin D and promotes calcium absorption by the kidneys.

Website design By BotEap.comThe seventh fact is that you must take calcium years before you enter menopause. Contrary to common misconception, bone is a living substance; one of the most active tissues in the body. It is constantly dissolving and rebuilding itself in a process called remodeling, and like any other living tissue, it needs nourishment to stay strong and healthy. So, in my opinion, a woman should take 400 mg before the age of 40. age (pregnant women need much more), take 600 mg after 40 and take 800 mg at menopause.

Website design By BotEap.comI recommend that you take no more than 600 mg at a time, but rather spread out the dose for optimal absorption. The rest of your calcium should come from food sources; Examples of foods high in calcium include green leafy vegetables, beans, seaweed, almonds, sardines, sesame seeds, mineral-rich bone broths, and some full-fat dairy products.

Website design By BotEap.comThe eighth fact is that some companies use fillers and binders that make it impossible for the calcium tablet to break down in your digestive system and be absorbed. There’s a simple test you can do at home: Put 1/4 cup of vinegar in a jar (acidic pH similar to our stomachs), drop the calcium supplement into the jar, close and shake well for 15 minutes, then leave it on the counter for 3 hours…if it doesn’t dissolve by then…then you’re not absorbing it. You can do this with all of your vitamins/minerals. I personally use and recommend a vitamin/mineral brand that is highly absorbable…and am of the opinion that you get what you pay for. Remember, it’s not what you eat/drink… it’s what you absorb!

Website design By BotEap.comThe ninth fact is that the use of exercises with weights such as wt. training, swimming or using a distance machine accelerates the deposition of minerals in the bones.

Website design By BotEap.comThe tenth fact is that there have been studies showing that excessive use of carbonated beverages (sodas/seltzer) accelerates the loss of minerals from our bones. So I suggest you forget about the soft drinks.

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