Calcium and Magnesium

The most common human and most rich body mineral is Calcium, with about ninety-nine percent of body calcium entirety in the teeth and bones, in addition to one percent in soft tissues and blood. It is one of the most essential minerals implicated in the healing and avoidance of osteoporosis.

Magnesium on the other hand, is a mineral that take part in preserving healthy bones, and is the body’s fourth most copious cation, with sixty percent found in bones and forty percent spread equally among non-muscular tissue and muscle. Together calcium and magnesium work hand in hand to give the body’s bone, teeth, and muscles what it needs to be strong.

Calcium and magnesium deficiency can cause health problems such as muscle cramps, insomnia, tension, aches and pains, diabetes, high blood pressure, PMS, and osteoporosis. Magnesium is vital for the absorption of calcium and has an important role in muscle, nerve, and heart function. Together with Vitamin C and D, they are become great aids for Calcium absorption, with studies suggesting that calcium with Vitamin D aid in preventing, slowing down, and even reversing the painful results of bone loss.

A lot of people think that the most important reason to obtain calcium and magnesium supplement is to create strong bones. However, the requirement for calcium and magnesium is much more complex than that. Sufficient intake of everyday dietary calcium is necessary for the control of heart rate, muscle contraction, blood clotting, and many more. Magnesium is a vital co-factor in more than three-hundred of the body’s enzymatic reactions, which contributes to the production of the cardiovascular purposes and energy construction and synthesis.

Calcium and magnesium work together, where magnesium augments calcium absorption and efforts with calcium to contract and relax muscles, as well as soothing and comforting the nerves. Jointly, they build a complicatedly connected relationship that supports the nervous system.

The roles of these two very essential minerals of the body should not be underestimated. Although only a little quantity of blood calcium is required in the soft tissues and in the blood, lacking it would cause the heart to beat unsteadily, the muscles not contracting correctly, the blood would not clot, and the nerves would not carry messages.

The body sees the bone as an emergency source of calcium for the daily life-giving processes it undergoes, it automatically takes the calcium it needs from the bones if the supply it requires is not met by the body. That is why adequate provision of calcium and magnesium in the body through ones diet is imperative to protect the bones from this destructive process.

Most abundant element in the body - facts about calcium

You may hear calcium often stated in TV commercials of dairy products and how it helps strengthen our bones and teeth. But what are the facts about calcium do you know about?

In the first century, the Romans prepared calcium and called it "calsis" but it was only in 1808 that this mineral was discovered by Sir Humphry Davy of England. Lime is the major source of this mineral, hence, the Latin word "calsis" meaning lime. Classified as an "alkaline earth metal", it is found in the Earth's crust and accounts to 3.5% of the total minerals. Aside from lime, other calcium sources are chalk, limestone, and marble. Calcium as an organic mineral reacts with water and oxygen. One kilogram of 99.8% pure calcium granules costs €126.90. Calcium exists only in two compounds, lime (CaO) and gypsum (CaSO4), which are highly in demand in many industries.

More facts about calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body but 99% of our body's calcium requirement is stored in the bones. So where does the 1% go? It is in the blood for the proper functioning of the nervous system, aids in muscle contraction, and blood coagulation. The facts about calcium are that it is harmful when levels go above and below normal ergo do not exceed your calcium intake to 2000mg a day. Doctors require a daily calcium intake of 1000mg for adults and 1200-1500mg for women with low estrogen.

Here are more facts about calcium, there are two kinds of calcium are absorbable by the body: calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. The former is good for people with intestinal disease; the latter is more widely used because it is less expensive but should be taken with food for it to be absorbed well. On the other hand, take your calcium sources twice a day because intestines can only absorb 600mg of calcium at once. The body absorbs only a limited quantity of calcium in the absence of vitamin D. Depending on the amount of sunshine exposure, an adult person needs 400 to 1000 international units of vitamin D each day in order to effectively get the recommended daily allowance of calcium.

Other facts about calcium are you can derive it from various sources but most abundant in dairy products, deep green vegetables, eggs, and red meat. When the calcium level in the blood goes too low it's called hypocalcaemia. When it goes too high, hypercalcaemia occurs, which is most often a result of cancer spread to the bones.

Calcium Absorption

Coffee, tea, or milk? The numerous coffee concoctions available in various coffee shops will likely win more fans than milk and tea combined. Forget the fact that coffee makes you edgy. Or that it stains the teeth. Unfortunately, while a cup of coffee may perk up our day, it might not do as much good to our health.

Regardless of our respective health conditions, we all need our share of calcium. Regrettably, even if we hoard on calcium-rich foods, it doesn’t assure us that our bodies will be able to carry out the necessary calcium absorption. And to make matters worse, majority of us do not even get to squeeze in enough calcium into our diets.

Another fact gathered about calcium absorption is that most humans only absorb around 30% of their calcium intake. This is a sad thing and an often misunderstood one. People feed themselves with all known calcium sources in the hope that their bodies adhere to the requirement.

This doesn’t mean that you can stop trying either. But dairies like milk and cheese may not be the only solution to your calcium problem. Science has found a way for people to meet their respective calcium needs through the use of calcium supplements. Aside from containing calcium, these also participate more in the calcium absorption by the body. It is safe then to conclude that calcium supplements are more efficiently absorbed by the body than the calcium that comes from the various dietary sources.

But be wary of some of the calcium supplements available in the market today. The fact that these can be acquired without a doctor’s prescription doesn’t necessarily mean all of these are safe. In fact, some of these contain lead that is harmful to one’s health. Furthermore, some calcium supplements are still going through chemical absorption issues. There are certain kinds that are not as easily absorbed by the body as the dietary sources are. Hence, if you want to get the best calcium absorption from the supplements, it is best to seek the advice of a doctor regarding which kind will work well for you.

There are some things that can help increase calcium absorption in the body. Fact is stomach acids are needed by the body for the break down of foods. That is why it is advisable to take in supplements when you’re almost done with a meal, not after it. Also, calcium absorption is not as effective if your body lacks its supply of Vitamin D.

Taking in supplements every single day won’t really make that much difference if you don’t get your daily dose of sunlight.