Why Calcium is Important

                                                                                         

Calcium is a mineral essential for building and maintaining strong bones. It also is a part of energy pathways, helps blood clot, helps relax muscles, and regulates heart contractions and nerve functions. When you aren't consuming enough calcium, your body steals what it needs from your bones. Bones are in constant flux, adjusting to achieve the best balance between body structure and support. Virtually all bones are completely rebuilt during any 10-year period.

The body has a natural mechanism for protecting against calcium overdose, but it can be over-ridden if more than 4 grams of calcium are consumed per day. To do this, a woman would need to be taking 3-4 times the usual dose in supplement tablets a day. The two most serious effects of calcium overdose are renal damage and the deposit of calcium in other areas of the body besides the bones.

Calcium has a significant role to play in the digestive processes and the proper functioning of the heart. Calcium is an essential element required during the metabolism of food and the processes of the heart. A diet deficient in calcium can be the basis of a heart attack or osteoporosis. When the body does not get the required amount of calcium and the calcium levels in blood begin to drop, the intelligent body tries to restore a balance by extracting the required calcium from the bones.

As we grow, our bone is constantly formed and reformed again. To maintain the calcium levels in our blood, the calcium from our bones will go into our blood when we have a low calcium level. Then there are cells that make new bone to replace the 'lost' bone. Can you see that this is a cycle? As our bone is mainly made up of calcium, when we do not take in enough calcium, the lost bone is not replaced. When this carries on, our bones no longer become healthy and strong.

Calcium is needed for good teeth and strong bones and for the proper function of nerves, muscles, kidneys, and the heart. Not having enough calcium in the diet is one of many factors associated with an increased risk of osteoporosis, a disease that speeds up the process of the natural loss of calcium in the bones. This causes the bones to become weak and fragile, leading to loss of height, curved spines, and bone fractures, especially in women. In recent years, the recommended amount of calcium has been increased from 800 mg to 1000 to 1200 mg per day. Dairy products are the most common source of calcium for people in western industrialized countries. But, as you know, most of the dairy products most commonly eaten are very high in saturated fat and cholesterol, as well as calories!

Adequate calcium intake at this time in life is critical to achieving full height with strong bones and teeth. The diets of growing girls often lack nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, dark-green or deep-yellow vegetables and milk or milk products. What growing girls eat affects their health now -- and in the future. For that reason, you not only need to show them the links between diet and health, but also to help them develop skills for making informed food decisions.

Most of the utilization of calcium occurs in the small intestine as calcium salts are most soluble in acidic medium. On an average 30-40% of the dietary calcium is absorbed in adults. Growing children, pregnant & lactating women absorb 50-60% of dietary calcium. As their bodies are in a state of growth & development the efficiency of calcium, utilization also increases.

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