We have all heard of the benefits of having enough calcium, but what do we actually know about this miracle mineral and what it does for us?
“Drink lots of milk to make your teeth and bones strong,” we're told by our mothers.
We have all heard of the benefits of having enough calcium, but what do we actually know about this miracle mineral and what it does for us?
“Drink lots of milk to make your teeth and bones strong,” we're told by our mothers.
They're quite right, of course, just as they usually are. But it is a lot more complicated than that, calcium being a sort of 'manager' mineral that takes part in a whole lot of chemical processes. Oddly enough, those strong bones are a side-effect of efficient calcium storage (99% of all the body's calcium) and of getting enough calcium, but the body has much more important uses for that remaining 1% of the calcium.
The body needs to have absolutely constant levels of calcium in the blood or else quite a few bodily functions are affected. Calcium stored in bones can be released into the blood when it is needed. So although our bones benefit from a good supply of calcium, the remaining 1% of calcium in our blood is the most important, maintaining the cardiovascular system and the muscles, transmitting nerve signals and helping to produce hormones.
The most obvious signs of calcium deficiency are problems with bones, teeth and muscles. These can show as caries in the teeth, osteoporosis or rickets, muscle spasm or weakness, or other related problems. Osteoporosis is one of the commonest health problems in postmenopausal women and can lead to easy fracturing of bone, high levels of pain and a general feeling of weakness.
Women most often are deficient in calcium, as well as children and especially adolescents, who need more on average because of growth and activity levels.
Other health issues that benefit from good levels of calcium are high blood-pressure and colon and rectal cancers.
Calcium is abundant in dairy products, especially low-fat dairy, in green vegetables, certain fruits, nuts, seeds and fish, and is often added to cereals and drinks to fortify them. Best absorbed from the diet, or from a lower dose supplement taken either spread out during the day with food or on an empty stomach last thing before bed, calcium is also regarded as nature's tranquilliser, allowing for better sleep and greater relaxation at night.
As a supplement it should be avoided by people who suffer from kidney stones, prostate cancer or hyperactive parathyroid glands, but with the addition of regular vitamin D, it can protect us from lots of pain and suffering later in life and keep us on an even keel emotionally.
Dr Baasch is a Grahamstown homeopath
