Calcium is an essential mineral that’s essential for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, muscles, and nerve function in the human body. As well as general health.
Calcium- how important is it?
Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body - plays a key role in maintaining healthy, strong bones and teeth at all ages. Its importance extends beyond skeletal health, an adequate intake is also necessary for proper muscle function, nerve transmission, blood pressure and cardiovascular health. Calcium deficiency can lead to bone loss and decreased strength. This can happen in all ages, but it's especially frequent in the elderly. A calcium-rich diet supports overall bone health and robust bone structure in all stages of life, being also an important mineral during development in kids for bones and teeth. Because of its important role in overall health, there’ a lot of interest about Calcium supplementation in the most calcium-demanding phases of life.
Role of calcium in the human body
Calcium plays a vital role in the human body. It supports blood pressure, normal heart rhythm and blood vessel health. It also supports healthy kidney function, contributing to overall renal (kidney) health. Adequate Calcium intake is crucial for health and it's important to obtain it primarily from food as a natural source.
How much calcium shall I consume in a day?
The recommended daily intake (RDI) of Calcium varies based on age and sex. For adults aged 19-50, approximately 1000mg of Calcium per day is recommended. However, women aged 51 and older, as well as men aged 71 and older, require a slightly higher intake of 1300mg per day. It's important to note that infants, children, and adolescents also have different needs.
Recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium:
- Infants and Toddlers aged 1-3: 500mg per day
- Children aged 4-8: 700mg per day
- Aged 9-11: 1000mg per day
- Aged 12-18: 1300mg per day
- Men aged 19-70: 1000mg per day - while aged over 70 RDI goes up to 1300mg per day
- Women aged 19-50: 1000mg per day - while aged over 50 RDI goes up to 1300mg per day
Additionally, pregnant and breastfeeding women have increased Calcium requirements to support their own health and the development of their babies:
- Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women aged 14-18: 1300mg per day and aged 19-50 1000mg per day
The above statistics are sourced from the New Zealand Nutrition Foundation.
Ensuring an adequate intake of Calcium at all stages of life is important for maintaining overall health, support bone mass and bone density.
Natural food sources of calcium
Incorporating daily natural food sources of Calcium into the diet provides key health benefits.
- Dairy products like milk, cheese, and yogurt are the most abundant source of Calcium from food.
- Sardines and tuna canned with bones are another option.
- High quality Bone Broth can be a good addition to the kitchen staples, delivering Calcium and other important minerals such as Collagen to support healthy joints and bones.
Plant based calcium sources
Are you looking for a plant-based source of Calcium? Whether you follow a vegan, or dairy-free diet, no worries! There are many non-dairy options available:
- Leafy green vegetables such as kale, watercress, and spinach but also broccoli, bok choi and leeks
- Tofu (made from soy) is another good plant-based source
- Nuts and seeds need to be taken into consideration as a powerhouse of nutrients
Take a look at our extensive range of Nuts & Seeds and Smoothie Blends to easily incorporate more of these nutrients in your everyday meals.
Incorporating calcium-rich foods into your diet
Incorporating enough Calcium rich foods into the daily diet is crucial for maintaining optimal bone health and structure, especially as we age.
Nuts and seeds are an easy meal topping or a nutritious snack on-the-go that provides a dense amount of nutrients and essential minerals. Almonds, walnuts and brasil nuts – they can all go on your shopping list – alongside with some sesame, poppy, and chia seeds.
Have you tied Tahini yet? This is a Calcium rich seed butter obtained by simply grinding sesame seeds down to a paste. It can be spread on bread (with a touch of honey too, yum!) or can be added to sweet recipes or savoury preparations.
Read more about this versatile and flavourful ingredient and discover 3 ways to use tahini - your versatile pantry staple.
Factors impacting calcium absorption
Calcium is an important component of skeleton structure and maintenance but it also has an important role in supporting fluid balance inside and outside the cells (homeostasis). Physiological conditions, and specific factors like pregnancy and different stages of life, can influence Calcium absorption. Further attention should be taken in some areas:
- Menopause: this time of women's life is characterized by hormonal changes. With the reduction of oestrogen levels being a risk factor for bone mass loss - taking good care of bones and general health with a healthy diet, rich in all essential minerals and nutrients, is important for bone strength.
- Aging: older adults have a higher Calcium need. This is important to support bone structure and bone mineral density that’s related to fracture risk which can have a greater impact in life quality and recovery times, as we age.
- Healthy microbiome: digestion and appropriate absorption of all nutrients that food variety provides, is a key aspect to get the most out of a healthy diet. If your microbiome is healthy, you can absorb nutrients more efficiently.
Want to know more about how to support a healthy digestion? What are probiotics? Benefits, uses & supplements.
Calcium supplementation
Calcium supplements can be beneficial for individuals who are unable to meet their needs through diet and food alone. Certain groups such as:
- Pregnant women
- Menopausal and Postmenopausal women
- Older adults
- Athletes
- People with digestive issues
People on the list above may especially benefit from Calcium supplement. Also, supplementation can be an important aspect to consider for individuals with lactose, dairy or nuts allergies, having a limited access to food rich in this mighty mineral.
Synergistic ingredients for calcium absorption
To maximize absorption of this mineral, it's important to consider the synergistic effects of certain nutrients.
- Vitamin D is essential for Calcium absorption in the intestines. Vitamin D can be found in small quantity in food, but it's mainly produced through skin exposure to the sun. It can be particularly challenging to expose the skin to sunlight in cooler months so Vitamin D supplementation can be a good option to provide for the recommended daily intake.
- Magnesium plays a crucial role in absorption, and in supporting general health too. Is important to balance a ratio of 2:1 Calcium to Magnesium to support optimal bodily functions.
- Vitamin K supports Calcium regulation - absorption and deposit - in bones.
- Boron and Zinc are other important minerals that that support adequate bone mineral density
- Vitamin C supports collagen formation, Calcium absorption and also supports development and maintenance of bone tissues.
Some dietary supplements contain a combination of Calcium with one or more of the above listed ingredients, to support its absorption and overall bone health.
Choosing the right calcium supplement
When choosing a supplement, it's important to consider different forms of Calcium such as citrate or carbonate. Each form has its own benefits and absorption rates.
Calcium carbonate supplements are usually convenient as they contain the highest amount of elemental Calcium and generally require a smaller number of tablets per serving. This type of Calcium requires stomach acid for absorption, so it's better to be taken with food.
Calcium citrate supplements are more readily absorbed and can be taken on an empty stomach. This is particularly important to consider for people with compromised digestion, sensitive stomach or that are on certain medications reducing stomach acid. Moreover, this form provides a lower amount of elemental Calcium so more tablets per serving size may be required.
Calcium hydroxyapatite usually extracted from biological sources (like bovine, or fish bone or shells). This form of calcium is the most abundant in human bone and teeth. Research suggests that Calcium hydroxyapatite is the best form of calcium for bones, it’s likely to increase in popularity as more research and studies emerge too.
Also keep an eye out for supplements that provide the recommended amount of Calcium for your age and gender to ensures that you are getting enough of what you need.
Potential risks of excessive calcium intake
Excessive intake of this mineral can happen. Hypercalcemia is a condition characterised by elevated levels of Calcium in the blood. If you are taking a supplement, follow the dose recommendations shown on the product packaging.
Fortunately, there are guidelines on the amount and dose of calcium that can be sold in supplements. Our naturopaths check every calcium product to ensure the amounts and doses are suitable and comply with NZ guidelines. Every new product we stock meets New Zealand's leading ethical, environmental and ingredient standards. That’s our promise to you.
Keen to know more about essential mineral supplements? Find out about the Best magnesium supplements for your health goals.
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