If are you really serious about your health and want to know the answers to the most valuable questions that generally come to your mind on calcium, then go through the article completely.
Is it important to maintain calcium level?
Yes, it is very important to maintain the normal calcium level in our body. As Calcium is the most vital mineral for our body. About 99% of calcium is stored in bone and teeth and 1% is present in the blood, muscle and other tissues. Calcium plays a vital role in our healthy bones & teeth. Also, it has an important role in blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve functions, and regulating a normal heartbeat.
It is remembered that calcium is the building block of our bone ( i.e, skeletal system). Also to perform vital daily functions, the body gets calcium either by eating foods or supplements that contain Calcium or by drawing calcium from bones.
That means if we do not maintain our calcium level normally then for daily functions, our body will extract the calcium requirement from bone [storage of calcium in body], over time, if this continues, our bone will become weaker which leads to osteoporosis.
It shows that maintaining calcium levels is most vital for bone, and teeth health along with daily body functions. We have to seriously think about this and must be maintaining our calcium level for a healthy body.
Now we have to know what is the normal level of calcium in the blood of a healthy person.
Total calcium levels can be measured in serum. The test measures both calcium attached to certain proteins and free calcium The normal level of total calcium test is 8.8 to 10.4 mg/dL in a healthy person.
Ionised Calcium test only measures the free calcium present in the blood. A healthy level of ionised or free calcium level is 4.6 to 5.3 mg/dL.
Dual X-ray absorptiometry testing of bone mineral density or DEXA scan (bone density test) can be used to find the cumulative calcium level in bone over the lifetime. Bone density results are given in the form of a “T-Score”.
T-score of -1.0 or higher———————–Normal Bone Density.
T-score between -1.0 & -2.5——————-Low Bone Density (Osteopenia)
T-score is less than or equal to -2.5———-Very Low Bone density (Osteoporosis).
So if T-score is low indicates low bone density with probable bone loss.
How do you maintain calcium levels?
To maintain calcium levels in the body, two hormones Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) & Calcitron Hormone play important roles to maintain the calcium level in the blood internally.
When the calcium levels drop too low in the blood, PTH will command the bone to release calcium into the blood. This hormone also activates Vitamin D for better absorption of calcium in the intestine. Also, PTH commands the kidney to release less calcium in the urine. In this process, bone density decreases the due to extraction of calcium from bone to maintain the calcium level in the blood.
Similarly, when the calcium level in the blood is high, another hormone Calcitonin activates & lowers the calcium level in the blood by obstructing the release of calcium from bones & commanding the kidneys to take out more calcium in the urine.
If Vitamin D deficiency is found in a person for a long time, the PTH level will increase making the bones release more calcium into the bloodstream which results in a mild increase of calcium level in the blood. Due to this, there will be a loss & lowering of the strength of the bone. This state can be considered secondary hyperparathyroidism. In this case, the Phosphorous level is lowered. This condition can only be corrected by taking Vitamin D Supplements & nutrients to increase its level and which leads to bringing back the PTH level normal. The same scenario has been practically seen in the Blood Serum test of a person as mentioned herewith.
So, another best way to maintain calcium levels is by taking foods & supplements that contain calcium. Simultaneously, it is important to maintain the Vitamin D level normal by taking Vitamin D supplements & food along with exposure to sunlight so that Vitamin D can help to absorb the calcium in the intestine & in the kidney from urine.
How much calcium do you really need?
Adequate Calcium is necessary for good health, not only for bone health but for vital body functions also. As scientists stated that maintaining an adequate level of calcium in the blood could keep the body from drawing it out of the bones. Both Calcium & vitamin D are essential in building bone. At least 700 mg of calcium from food should be enough. So many doctors recommend Vitamin D supplements of 800 IU to 1000 IU daily.
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for Calcium as per the data of the National Institute of Health is mentioned below for your reference.
However, you can consult your Medical Practioner to confirm the daily requirement of calcium & vitamin D according to your body’s metabolism.
Is dairy the only way to get calcium?
No, dairy is not the only way to get calcium. You might have a belief that drinking milk is one thing you need to have strong bones & teeth. It has also been programmed in our subconscious mind. Milk & its products are not the only good source of calcium. Another important point is that if dairy is the only source of calcium then what will a person have lactose intolerant.
Also, in nutrition science, there is a term called “Bioavailability” which means the ability of a nutritional substance to be absorbed & used by the body. For dietary supplements, herbs & other nutrients in which the route of administration is nearly always oral. Bioavailability generally designates simply the quantity or fraction of the ingested dose that is absorbed. & used by the body. For dietary supplements, herbs & other nutrients
in which the route of administration is nearly always oral, bioavailability generally designates simply the quantity or fraction of the ingested dose that is absorbed.
Dairy foods have a bioavailability of about 30% absorption so if a food label on milk lists 200 mg of calcium per cup, then about 60 mg will be absorbed & used by the body. Whereas plant foods and leafy vegetables have less calcium but have a higher bioavailability than dairy.
There are various sources to fulfil Calcium requirements in the body other than dairy products. such as oat, leafy green, tofu, nuts, orange and various seeds like poppy seeds, and chia seeds are calcium-rich foods. Also, by sunlight exposure, we can also increase the Vitamin D level which can increase the absorption of calcium in the intestine
What are the 3 best foods for calcium?
There are plenty of foods are available as a source of calcium daily requirement to the body. But the 3 best foods as per the quantity of calcium present in each 100 gm serving of that food are as mentioned below:-
1> Moringa Leaf:-Leaf of Moringa or Drumstick tree with the botanical name “ moringa oleifera” is rich in calcium. It is widely used as a calcium supplement for food. As per the report data of mineral composition of moringa leaf by the National Institute of Health, it is found that in 100mg of Moringa Leaf 1932 mg of calcium is present. In the powder form of moringa leaf the calcium content increases. It is called that Moringa Leaf is said to provide 17 times more calcium than Milk.
1> Moringa Leaf:–
The leaf of the Moringa or Drumstick tree with the botanical name “ moringa oleifera” is rich in calcium. It is widely used as a calcium supplement for food. As per the report data of mineral composition of moringa leaf by the National Institute of Health, it is found that in 100mg of Moringa Leaf 1932 mg of calcium is present. In the powder form of moringa leaf the calcium content increases. It is called that Moringa Leaf is said to provide 17 times more calcium than Milk.
2> Poppy Seeds:-
So many seeds like Chia seeds, Sesame seeds, and Flax seeds are calcium-rich food. But as per the data of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Poppy seeds have 1438mg of calcium per 100gm of serve. Generally, we are using this as one of the spices in our vegetable curries.
3> Powdered Milk:-
As we know milk & its products like cheese, paneer, yoghurt etc are rich sources of calcium. But powdered milk has 912mg of calcium per 100gm of serve whereas 100 gm of milk has 1% fat, the calcium content is 125 mg & in 250ml, it is 322 mg.
If we consider the bioavailability i.e quantity of absorption in the body, then moringa leaf, and greeny leaves like boiled spinach, kale, and soy milk have better food options for calcium.
The most important thing is that the daily requirement of Vitamin D shall be fulfilled by both vitamin-rich foods/supplements & sunlight baths. Since an adequate quantity of vitamin D is required to help the better absorption of Calcium in the intestine.
Does vitamin D affect calcium levels?
Yes, Vitamin D affects calcium levels. Already we have discussed above in question no.1 by showing a live case report that how a decrease in Vitamin D level in blood, the Parathyroid Hormone (PTH) level increased and that effect the Calcium level & phosphorus level imbalanced. This is called hyperthyroid. For the treatment of Hyperparathyroidism most important is to take a Vitamin D supplement.
Maintaining vitamin D in the body is very important since it helps to absorb & store calcium from the food we eat. If the level of Vitamin D decreased, our body starts drawing calcium from the bone. As a result, the bone becomes weak.
It is found that Vitamin D is not a vitamin only it acts as a hormone by directly affecting genes and acts an important role in every aspect of cell development in the body. We can say it is directly or indirectly responsible for the immunity of the body.
Also, we can say Vitamin D & Calcium are the two sides of a coin. Since both are required for bone health. Vitamin D helps to treat Osteoporosis.
Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, due to which it is found a deficiency of vitamin D in overweight & obese persons. Generally, Vitamin D requirements can be fulfilled with sunlight exposure and supplements.
Which disease is caused due to deficiency of calcium?
As we discussed that calcium is a very vital mineral for not only bone & teeth health but various daily functions of the body. So there are lots of diseases caused due to deficiency of calcium as highlighted below:
- Osteoporosis
- Osteopenia
- Disorder in metabolic rate & daily functions of the body.
- Hypocalcemia
- Chest pain
- Brittle nails & dry skin
- Tooth decay
- Muscle Cramps
- Cataracts
- Fatigue & dizziness
- Suffer from pain in thigh & arms while moving & walking.
Conclusion:-
As discussed above, Calcium is an abundant mineral in your body. 99% of calcium is present in the Bone. It is responsible for bone & teeth health along with other vital daily functions of the body. You have to consume calcium-rich food and supplement as per the recommended dietary allowance to maintain the normal calcium level in the body. Also, it is important to maintain the level of Vitamin D in the body by consuming vitamin D supplements & Sunlight baths since vitamin D plays a vital role in the absorption of calcium in the intestine. Also, if the Calcium level of the body is not maintained by the Nutrition we consume, then the body extracts the calcium from bone which will tend to bone loss & further “Osteoporosis”. Moringa Leaves consist of a high amount of calcium. So, Maintain your Calcium Level & Make Your Body Strong.
