Calcium is one of the most essential nutrients for your body. It helps to build strong bones and prevents osteoporosis. This nutrient also helps you to stay healthy by lowering your risk of colon cancer. The following information will help you to get the most from calcium. Take calcium supplements as directed.
Calcium is an essential nutrient
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. Its main functions are to build strong bones and teeth, to send nerve signals, to regulate heartbeat, and to help the body produce hormones. It also plays a crucial role in the body’s blood clotting system. Getting enough calcium in your diet is important for good health and can help prevent osteoporosis, PMS, and high blood pressure.
While calcium is essential for everyone, it is particularly important for women. Women naturally have lower bone density than men do, due to structural differences. Studies have also shown that calcium helps the uterine lining heal after monthly ovulation. For these reasons, women must eat enough calcium to protect their bones.
Milk and other dairy products are good sources of calcium. Choose organic cow’s milk when possible, since it contains more nutrients. Calcium is, easily absorbed from milk so it’s easy to get the daily, recommended allowance. There are also calcium-fortified alternatives for people who can’t tolerate milk.
While milk is the best source of calcium, you can also get calcium from vegetables. Most vegetables contain calcium and are readily absorbed. If you’re lactose intolerant or don’t like dairy, you can find good sources of calcium from dark leafy vegetables like broccoli and kale. Other food sources include almonds, sesame seeds, dried figs, and sardines.
It helps build strong bones
Calcium is an essential nutrient for the body and is crucial to the normal functioning of cells, nerves, and bones. It is also necessary for the production of hormones like insulin and helps regulate blood vessel contractions. Without enough calcium in the body, bones and muscles begin to weaken. It is recommended that adults consume at least 2,000 mg of calcium each day. Some sources of calcium include dairy products, certain leafy greens, beans, and tofu.
Increasing calcium intake in children is particularly important to help them develop strong bones. Studies have shown that children who don’t get enough calcium are at an increased risk of developing osteoporosis, a degenerative bone disease. Osteoporosis can cause chronic pain, decreased quality of life, and even collapse of the spine.
In addition to calcium from food sources, it is also important to get vitamin D. This vitamin aids the absorption of calcium and may help prevent osteoporosis. Milk and dairy products are a good source of vitamin D. But people in places with low levels of sunlight often need to supplement vitamin D.
While calcium is essential for building strong bones, it is also important for muscle contraction and relaxation. Additionally, it is important for blood clotting. Vitamin D has an important role in controlling calcium levels and helps prevent certain types of cancer.
It prevents osteoporosis
Calcium is an important component of bone health, which helps maintain bone strength throughout your life. But it’s only effective at building bones if you also get enough vitamin D. Without vitamin D, calcium will go to waste and have little benefit for your bone health. In addition, calcium is important for your overall health.
Calcium is naturally present in many foods and beverages. However, if you have a medical condition, you may need a slightly higher dosage of calcium. A health care provider can suggest the exact amount of calcium needed for your specific condition. The recommended daily amount is 2,500 milligrams.
One of the best ways to supplement your diet with calcium is with an oral supplement. These supplements can be purchased over the counter and are a convenient way to increase your calcium intake. The calcium supplements can help you maintain healthy bones and prevent osteoporosis. In addition to calcium, these supplements contain vitamin D. While you can get your recommended daily amount of vitamin D from sunlight, you need to make sure you protect your skin and avoid excessive exposure to the sun.
Research has shown that calcium supplementation can be effective in preventing osteoporotic fractures in postmenopausal women. A meta-analysis of the relevant literature from 1966 to 1997 found that taking 1000 mg of elemental calcium daily reduced osteoporotic fracture risk by 25 to 70%.
It lowers the risk of colon cancer
Researchers believe that dietary calcium may lower the risk of colorectal cancer. They believe that calcium reduces inflammation and bile acid irritation on the colonic wall. They also believe that intracellular calcium in colonic epithelial cells may reduce cancer-promoting inflammatory responses. In addition, ionized calcium may inhibit the inflammatory and toxic effects of free bile acids.
There are two main ways to lower your risk of colorectal cancer: increasing the amount of calcium in your diet and taking calcium supplements. A higher intake of calcium may lower the risk of colon cancer by as much as 8%. It also lowers the risk of colorectal adenomas in people who have a history of the disease. Calcium also acts as a tumor suppressor. This means that it protects cells from growing and spreading.
The study had several limitations. First, the case group consisted of 624 men and 298 women. The controls were recruited from a health check-up program run by the National Health Insurance Corporation. They may have been living a more healthful lifestyle than the colorectal cancer patients. Also, both case groups were recruited from the same hospital. The study was also subject to recall bias.
Another study found that high milk intake and calcium intake significantly lowers the risk of colon cancer. It found that taking 3,000 mg of calcium carbonate per day reduced the risk of colon cancer by 20%. Researchers also found that supplementation with vitamin D daily did not reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. These studies are still in their early stages, but calcium supplements may help to protect against colorectal cancer.
It improves metabolic markers
Calcium intake improves metabolic markers, and recent studies have linked higher calcium intake with a decreased risk of colorectal cancer. But these studies focused on calcium intake from milk, and further studies are needed to understand the potential metabolic benefits of calcium supplements. One study, for example, found that a calcium-and-vitamin-D supplement reduced markers of oxidative stress and inflammation in pregnant women. The study also showed that the supplement improved markers of blood pressure and metabolic processes in obese women with polycystic ovarian syndrome.
