Bone Up On Calcium Supplementation
Calcium is vital for bone healthin women starting in childhood, and should be taken in doses of at least
1,200 mg. per day for adult women. Calcium has also been shown to help many women deal with PMS (pre-menstrual syndrome) in doses of 1,500 mg. daily.
Calcium supplementation is alsovital for men over the age of 50 though this is frequently not discussed! Men start out with a higher calcium load because their bones are larger, but they also suffer from Osteopenia and Osteoporosis beginning after age 50 if they don't keep up with calcium intake. Men generally start having problems after age 75 with bone fractures (about 10 years later than women), and they have a much higher complication rate and death rate with fractures than women do - prevention is the key!!
Calcium requires several things for optimum absorption. Without all these factors in place, you may lose a lot of the benefit of your calcium supplement, no matter how much of it you are ingesting:
1) An acid stomach environment.
2) Vitamin D in individuals who drink little or no milk (vitamin D fortified), and who have little or NO sun exposure (the sun helps you manufacture Vitamin D). Vitamin D aids in the uptake of Calcium and in the mineralization of bone. You need 400 iu twice daily (total 800 iu daily), which was reported to reduce hip fractures in a March 2003 British Medical Journal Study.
3) Magnesium and phosphorus present in an appropriate ratio.
4) The amino acids leucine, arginine and serine for the formation of calcium- amino acid complexes.
With all of these requirements for optimal absorption, is it any wonder that so many people today are o verdrawn in the calcium bank?
Forms of Calcium:
• Calcium Citrate is the best absorbed form of calcium to use. A 1999
study in the Journal of Clinical Pharmacology found that the citrate form of calcium was absorbed 2.5 times better than the carbonate form o f calcium. Calcium citrate is also better tolerated - it does not cause the frequent bloating, gas, and constipation other forms of calcium can.
• Calcium Carbonate has the highest percentage of calcium but it is not well absorbed. It is frequently taken as an antacid (TUMS is a flavored
calcium carbonate). Remember, the first requirement for optimal calcium absorption by the body is an acid environment, so the antacid
formulation makes calcium carbonate a somewhat self-defeating
exercise. This is especially true for people taking other acid reducing
medications (Zantac, Pepcid, Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, Protonix,etc.)
and older people who often suffer from digestive acid deficiency.
Calcium Carbonate also binds with other medications taken at the same time and may decrease or prevent their absorption. Similarly, this
binding may cause constipation, bloating, and gas.
Warning: Calcium carbonate from oyster-shells or coral (coral calcium) is no different than calcium carbonate in any other form. It is, after all, a MINERAL. However, coral and oyster-shells
carry the possible additional risk of being contaminated with
heavy metals (lead, mercury, etc.) that naturally occur in the
ocean's oyster bed environment. Be sure to carefully read labels -
make sure that the manufacturer guarantees the product to be
Percent Calcium in Suggested Calcium Intake by Age Supplements
(Adapted from the 1994 NIH Consensus Conference guidelines)
Maximizing Bone Mass:
• Eat a healthy diet high in calcium and magnesium.
• Supplement the diet with additional calcium and magnesium according
to the recommended daily allowances for your age.
• Avoid and/or cut down on things that cause calcium to be excreted from
the body, including alcohol, caffeine, cigarette smoking, excess protein
• Get regular weight bearing exercise - Walk, Jog, Run, and ALWAYS take
Your Best Choices:
Taking all of this into account, using a calcium supplement that is highly absorbed (Calcium Citrate) is good. Combining it with magnesium, and Vitamin D just makes more sense! Our Calcium + Ipriflavone Blend combines these essentials with Ipriflavone. Ipriflavone supports healthy bone maintenance by promoting calcitonin secretion which modulates osteoclast activity and supports healthy bone synthesis and density! Copyright ForMyHealth.com
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Bone Up On Calcium