Are Your Daily Calcium Needs Being Met?

Calcium is one of the most important minerals when it comes to maintaining good health and strong bones. Calcium needs vary depending on many factors, including age, gender, medical history, and overall health. A deficiency in calcium can lead to a number of health problems, and can be caused by many different factors.

Calcium is constantly being eliminated from the body through urine, feces, and sweat. If the lost calcium is not replaced by food, or if calcium absorption if impaired, the body breaks down the bones in order to get the calcium necessary to perform other - more urgent - functions. Calcium needs to be replaced directly in correlation with the amount of calcium lost, or a deficiency occurs.

Calcium needs in women increase as they get older. Bone loss begins in middle age and increases significantly when a woman reaches menopause. When calcium intake is too low, bones suffer because the body uses the calcium stored in bones to maintain other biological functions. Bone loss also increases when absorption is impaired for any reason, and in post-menopausal women due to decreased estrogen levels. This bone loss results in the development of Osteoporosis, a condition that is easier to prevent than to treat.

Calcium needs are increased by many things, including smoking, alcohol and caffeine consumption, high protein intake, and exposure to toxic metals. During periods of rapid bone growth, such as in childhood, pregnancy, and while breastfeeding, calcium intake through diet is often not sufficient. In order to prevent a deficiency from occurring, supplementation in high-risk individuals is especially important.

Calcium Needs: When Diet Is Not Enough

When calcium needs cannot be met through diet, a calcium supplement becomes necessary. Most people do not consume the necessary minimum of three servings of calcium-rich foods each day. Calcium supplements ensure that adequate amounts of calcium are available for maintaining bone density and protecting overall health.

It is never too early, or too late, to begin monitoring your calcium intake to ensure that it is sufficient to meet your specific health needs. Health and bone protection should begin before a deficiency occurs. Anyone who is unable to meet the recommended daily requirement of calcium should consider taking a supplement.

Many different types of calcium supplements are currently available on the market, including calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, and calcium phosphate. Each varies in the concentration of calcium and in ease of absorption. Some forms of calcium are better tolerated than others, and supplements should be chosen based on your particular medical history and calcium needs.