Calcium

Calcium and the Recommended Daily Allowance

The amount of calcium your body needs depends strongly on your age. Sometimes your medical condition will also make a difference. For example, a pregnant woman needs to increase the calcium in her diet in order to help the bones of the fetus develop correctly.

Babies and children need the least amount of calcium since they are smaller in bone density. About 400 milligrams per day is sufficient for an infant, and children under the age of five are okay with 600 milligrams. From the ages of six to twelve, children should be consuming 800 milligrams a day and when puberty begins they need to kick up their daily intake to 1200 milligrams a day.

Adults should also take approximately 1200 milligrams per day, although this may need to be higher for some adults. The older you are, the more calcium you need, as is evident by the needs of an elderly person who should be getting 1500 milligrams per day.

Calcium Sources

Most people know dairy products are a high source of calcium; however, there are many other sources of calcium that you may not know about it. One of the reasons it is a good idea to eat a varied diet is to benefit from all of the minerals and vitamins found in different plant life.

Calcium can be found in dark green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach, as well as in Chinese cabbage. It can also be found in beans and black eyed peas. Oranges are high in calcium, too, and so are almonds. There are also a lot of food items that have been fortified with calcium, such as cereals, milk, juices, and baby foods.

Calcium Deficiency

Since calcium is essential for the strength of your bones, a calcium deficiency is very serious. Your body is an intelligent machine that has the capability of mending itself. However, sometimes in the process of repair it damages other things.

Your bones store the majority of calcium. If you are not getting enough calcium, your body will take what it needs from where it finds it, which happens to be from the calcium stored in your bones. This robbing of the calcium will cause your bones to break down.

As your bones break down you develop a disease that is called osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is not often detected until serious calcium deficiency has already occurred. If your teeth or bones break easily, there is a strong chance that you already have a serious calcium deficiency. Tests can be done proactively, however, to show bone density to determine if there is a risk of osteoporosis.

In order to avoid calcium deficiency or osteoporosis, you need to be sure you are receiving a sufficient amount of calcium on a daily basis. By eating a varied diet you can receive calcium naturally. You can also eat foods that are fortified with calcium to add to your daily recommended allowance. Calcium supplements can also be taken to help you get your daily quota.

Calcium Toxicity

In extreme cases, too much calcium can cause calcium toxicity, which can have serious implications. Calcium toxicity usually occurs when an excess of Vitamin D occurs along with an excess of calcium. Symptoms can include constipation or stomach pains, with kidney stones oftentimes being a direct result.

As long as you are not in danger of calcium toxicity, you can safely consume more than the suggested amount of calcium for your daily needs. Since calcium is such a vital mineral, calcium supplements may be recommended by your physician. You may also choose to use calcium supplements to boost your calcium intake but you should strive to eat as many natural sources of calcium as possible. Use the supplement finder to locate the ideal source of calcium to boost your nutritional needs  now!