How much calcium does YOUR body need?

For years it has been stated that everyone needs a minimum of 800 mg of absorbed calcium daily. In August of 1997 a new preferred nutrient level standard raised this recommended amount. A panel of Purdue University nutritionists had established what they call "Adequate Intake" in place of RDAs which have been the measuring stick for nutritional supplements since 1941. This new system also establishes more age categories for preferred nutrient levels. The following is the new breakdown of nutritional need.

Note: Calcium obtained from Calcium Lactate in dairy products, was not included in the above illustrated table due to confusion surrounding the food industry's labeling of calcium lactate as pure calcium.

In the following discussion, it becomes all to obvious that consuming large amounts of calcium tablets to achieve the desired absorption can have serious negative results. When we are discussing Calcium supplementation issues many factors besides simply cost must be considered! The consumption of large amounts of calcium tablets is not advised. More than approximately two calcium tablets daily may cause gas, bloating, nausea, severe constipation and general gastric discomfort. Not to mention the fact that as we increase the number of calcium tablets, the acid available in our digestive tract to make them soluble is used up, and many tablets may even pass through our digestive tracts wholly undigested.

Remember that calcium absorption needs an acid environment in the stomach for proper digestion. People over 60 years old produce only 25% of the stomach acid they produced when they were 20 years old. And it is a known fact that as many as 40 percent of postmenopausal women lack sufficient stomach acid for proper calcium absorption even without the intake of large volumes of alkaline calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate. Large amounts of dairy consumption increases the consumption of excessive amounts of fats and cholesterol. So it is very obvious that only one of the four calcium choices listed above is really a viable option.

Consider that for less than the daily cost of purchasing a fancy cup of coffee, you can provide for yourself a safe, natural method of nutritional prevention of calcium deficiency (and the 150 associated degenerative diseases including osteoporosis, heart disease, arthritis, cancer, indigestion, etc., that have been possibly associated with calcium deficiency). I hope this article has helped you understand more fully what your body is able to absorb and utilize from commonly available calcium supplementation so that you can make an informed choice for yourself.

IMPORTANT

Supplemental calcium intake may interfere with the effects of calcium-channel blockers, digitalis derivatives and specific antibiotics such as tetracycline. Be sure to check with your prescribing health professional if you are currently taking any of these products before starting on any calcium supplementation.