Calcium and bone integrity

Calcium is one of the cardinal minerals for the maintainance of healthy bones and muscle function. Its role is well established in the prevention of bone loss and reducing fracture risks.

After the age of fifty, women fail to meet the current recommendations for calcium through food sources only.

Daily Requirements

The North American Menopause Society (NAMS) recommends atleast 1200 mg/day of calcium for most women.

Concerns with Calcium intake

Though Calcium supplements are well tolerated, there are concerns about the formation of renal stones and arterial stiffness due to calcium deposits.

Kidney stones -Reduces the risk

The most common type of kidney stone is the calcium oxalate stone, leading many people to believe they should avoid eating calcium. The opposite is true. Low-calcium diets may increase your kidney stone risk and your risk of osteoporosis.

A key for preventing calcium oxalate stones is to get the right amount of calcium- 1,200 milligrams daily. If you have calcium-rich foods or beverages at each meal, you lower the amount of oxalate absorbed into your bloodstream, reducing your risk of new kidney stones.

Cardiovascular Arterial stiffness

In light of the evidence available, the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the American Society for Preventive Cardiology recently adopted a joint understanding that total calcium intake, from supplements and dietary sources, with or without vitamin D, that does not exceed the Upper Tolerable Intake Levels should be considered safe from a cardiovascular standpoint.

Lower and more frequent doses of calcium combined with Vitamin D, Vitamin K, magnesium, potassium, boron, strontium, and bone morphogenetic protein supplements, may prove to be the best defense against bone loss associated with aging without compromising the cardiovascular status.

Conclusion

In the light of the evidence available to us to date, it will be safe to say that total calcium intake whether from supplements or from dietary sources, with or without Vit D, that does not exceed the upper limit will be considered safe from cardiovascular standpoint.

We encourage you to obtain most of your calcium from dietary sources as they will be supplying other valuable nutrients required for body functions.