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Benefits of Calcium

Detailed Health Benefits of Calcium

One of the most common benefits of calcium that I’m sure you’ve probably heard is that it builds stronger bones. While this is true there are a lot of important benefits that you probably haven’t heard of. Our vital organs and most of our bodily functions will use calcium in one way or another to function. In spite of the extreme important of calcium to our health it might surprise you to know that only about 1 in 5 Americans is getting the appropriate amount every day. Are you one of them? Some of the benefits of calcium that you probably haven’t heard of are weight loss, heart health, protection from colon cancer, and improvement of premenstrual syndrome.

Calcium is primarily stored in the teeth and bones, in fact this is where 99% of it is stored. The remaining 1% circulates in our blood stream where it assists with heart contraction, blood clotting, muscle contraction, chemical messaging between cells, milk production, and more. Calcium works hand in hand with phosphorus and Vitamin D to build our skeletal structure. Being deficient in any of these can result in all of them being less effective and being detrimental to your health.

The best source for natural calcium is by far cow’s milk and other dairy products. Other dietary sources are leafy greens and cereals. However, there are a couple things you should be aware of about calcium from these sources. Leafy green vegetables contain oxalic acid which combines with calcium to form calcium oxalate. Cereals contain phytic acid which combines with calcium to produce calcium phytate. Both of these aren’t absorbed by our bodies and so the calcium you do get from these sources will be lessened by these chemical reactions.

For most people 4-500mg of Calcium per day is the recommended dose but that is higher or lower depending on your body build. A daily glass of milk is one of the best ways to be sure you’re getting enough calcium. If you are vegan or don’t eat animal products or dairy specifically you should try to get additional calcium through supplements. However, make sure you are getting phosphorus and vitamin D in addition because as mentioned above or you might not be capable of absorbing and using the calcium you get as efficiently.