Calcium
Calcium is vital for the formation of strong bones and teeth and for the maintenance of healthy gums. It is also important in the maintenance of regular heartbeat and in the transmission of nerve impulses. Calcium lowers cholesterol levels and helps prevent cardiovascular disease. It is needed for muscular growth and contraction, and for the preventions of muscle cramps. If high blood pressure develops due to pregnancy, it can be reduced by calcium intake.
Sources
Calcium is found in dairy foods, salmon (with bones), sardines, seafood, and dark green leafy vegetables. Food sources include almonds, asparagus, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, buttermilk, cabbage, carob, cheese, collards, dandelion greens, dulse, figs, filberts, goat’s milt, kale, kelp, milk, mustard greens, watercress, whey, and yogurt. Herbs that contain calcium include alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, flaxseed, hops, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, shepherd’s purse, violet leaves, yarrow, and yellow dock.
Comments
The amino acid lysine is needed for calcium absorption. Food sources of lysine include cheese, eggs, fish, lima beans, milk, potatoes, red meat, soy products, and brewer’s yeast. Lysine is also available in supplement form.
Female athletes and menopausal women need greater amounts of calcium than other woman because their estrogen levels are lower. Estrogen protects the skeletal system by promoting the deposition of calcium in bone.
Heavy exercising hinders calcium uptake, but moderate exercise promotes it. Insufficient vitamin D intake, or the ingestion of excessive amounts of phosphorus and magnesium, also hinders the uptake of calcium.
If calcium is taken with iron, they bind together, preventing the optimal absorption of both minerals. It is therefore best to take calcium and iron at different times.
A diet that is high in protein, fat, and/or sugar affects calcium uptake. The average American diet of meats, refined grains, and soft drinks (which are high in phosphorus) leads to increased excretion of calcium. Consuming alcoholic beverages, coffee, junk foods, excess salt, and/or white flour also leads to the loss of calcium by the body. A diet based on foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, which contain significant amounts of calcium but lower amounts of phosphorus, is preferable.
Calcium supplements are more effective when taken in smaller doses spread throughout the day and before bedtime. This mineral works less effectively when taken in a single megadose. Most experts agree that no more than 500 milligrams should be taken at one time, as this is the maximum amount the body can absorb in one dose. However, because calcium also promotes a sound sleep when taken at night, and because a high-fiber diet can interfere with calcium absorption, some recommend taking a single dose at bedtime.
Some vitamin companies use a compound called D1-calcuim-phosphate in their products. This form of calcium is insoluble and interferes with the absorption of the nutrients in a multinutrient supplement. Antacids such as Tums are not recommended as a source of calcium. While they do contain calcium, if taken in sufficient quantities to serve as a source of the mineral, they would also neutralize the stomach acid needed for calcium absorption. Additionally a significant percentage (estimates range from 20-40 percent) of people over the age of sixty may have a condition called atrophic gastritis. This is a chronic inflammation of the stomach, and it reduces the ability to break down the calcium carbonate contained in Tums.
Cautions
Calcium may interfere with the effects of verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), a calcium channel blocker sometimes prescribed for heart problems and high blood pressure. Calcium can also interfere with the effectiveness of tetracycline, thyroid hormone, certain anticonvulsants, and steroids. Consult your health care provider before taking supplemental calcium if you must take any of these drugs.
Phenobarbital and diuretics may cause a deficiency of calcium. Although several major studies have shown that added calcium in the diet does not appear to increase the risk for either a first or repeat attack of kidney stones, persons with a history of kidney stones or kidney disease should not take calcium supplements except on the advice of a physician. The maximum safe dosage of supplemental calcium is now placed at 2500 milligrams per day.
Source
Prescription for Nutritional Healing 3rd Edition
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
James F. Balch, M.D.
Calcium is vital for the formation of strong bones and teeth and for the maintenance of healthy gums. It is also important in the maintenance of regular heartbeat and in the transmission of nerve impulses. Calcium lowers cholesterol levels and helps prevent cardiovascular disease. It is needed for muscular growth and contraction, and for the preventions of muscle cramps. If high blood pressure develops due to pregnancy, it can be reduced by calcium intake.
Sources
Calcium is found in dairy foods, salmon (with bones), sardines, seafood, and dark green leafy vegetables. Food sources include almonds, asparagus, blackstrap molasses, brewer’s yeast, broccoli, buttermilk, cabbage, carob, cheese, collards, dandelion greens, dulse, figs, filberts, goat’s milt, kale, kelp, milk, mustard greens, watercress, whey, and yogurt. Herbs that contain calcium include alfalfa, burdock root, cayenne, chamomile, chickweed, chicory, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seed, fenugreek, flaxseed, hops, horsetail, kelp, lemongrass, mullein, nettle, oat straw, paprika, parsley, peppermint, plantain, raspberry leaves, red clover, rose hips, shepherd’s purse, violet leaves, yarrow, and yellow dock.
Comments
The amino acid lysine is needed for calcium absorption. Food sources of lysine include cheese, eggs, fish, lima beans, milk, potatoes, red meat, soy products, and brewer’s yeast. Lysine is also available in supplement form.
Female athletes and menopausal women need greater amounts of calcium than other woman because their estrogen levels are lower. Estrogen protects the skeletal system by promoting the deposition of calcium in bone.
Heavy exercising hinders calcium uptake, but moderate exercise promotes it. Insufficient vitamin D intake, or the ingestion of excessive amounts of phosphorus and magnesium, also hinders the uptake of calcium.
If calcium is taken with iron, they bind together, preventing the optimal absorption of both minerals. It is therefore best to take calcium and iron at different times.
A diet that is high in protein, fat, and/or sugar affects calcium uptake. The average American diet of meats, refined grains, and soft drinks (which are high in phosphorus) leads to increased excretion of calcium. Consuming alcoholic beverages, coffee, junk foods, excess salt, and/or white flour also leads to the loss of calcium by the body. A diet based on foods such as vegetables, fruits, and whole grains, which contain significant amounts of calcium but lower amounts of phosphorus, is preferable.
Calcium supplements are more effective when taken in smaller doses spread throughout the day and before bedtime. This mineral works less effectively when taken in a single megadose. Most experts agree that no more than 500 milligrams should be taken at one time, as this is the maximum amount the body can absorb in one dose. However, because calcium also promotes a sound sleep when taken at night, and because a high-fiber diet can interfere with calcium absorption, some recommend taking a single dose at bedtime.
Some vitamin companies use a compound called D1-calcuim-phosphate in their products. This form of calcium is insoluble and interferes with the absorption of the nutrients in a multinutrient supplement. Antacids such as Tums are not recommended as a source of calcium. While they do contain calcium, if taken in sufficient quantities to serve as a source of the mineral, they would also neutralize the stomach acid needed for calcium absorption. Additionally a significant percentage (estimates range from 20-40 percent) of people over the age of sixty may have a condition called atrophic gastritis. This is a chronic inflammation of the stomach, and it reduces the ability to break down the calcium carbonate contained in Tums.
Cautions
Calcium may interfere with the effects of verapamil (Calan, Isoptin, Verelan), a calcium channel blocker sometimes prescribed for heart problems and high blood pressure. Calcium can also interfere with the effectiveness of tetracycline, thyroid hormone, certain anticonvulsants, and steroids. Consult your health care provider before taking supplemental calcium if you must take any of these drugs.
Phenobarbital and diuretics may cause a deficiency of calcium. Although several major studies have shown that added calcium in the diet does not appear to increase the risk for either a first or repeat attack of kidney stones, persons with a history of kidney stones or kidney disease should not take calcium supplements except on the advice of a physician. The maximum safe dosage of supplemental calcium is now placed at 2500 milligrams per day.
Source
Prescription for Nutritional Healing 3rd Edition
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
James F. Balch, M.D.