Types of Calcium and benefits of taking products when it is low

Calcium is the foundation of bones and allows us to walk upright and maintain our weight, giving us a strong and robust skeletal system. It is a macronutrient, a macromineral essential for human life.

This mineral, considered an essential nutrient, is the most abundant in the human body. The amount of calcium in an adult person can be measured at around 2% of their body weight, and there are many foods that contain it. Dietary supplements and products like milk and cheese are the most common, but there are many others we will indicate.

Types of Calcium

• Citrate: It is composed of calcium hydroxide and citric acid. Calcium citrate has antioxidant effects and its chemical formula is Ca3 (C6H5O7)2. It is widely used for medical treatments related to human health, often alongside l-lysine for its benefits, so calcium citrate is used to increase blood calcium levels.
• Calcium carbonate: It is one of the main elements in nature, found in rocks, shells, and animal skeletons. Calcium carbonate is used as a dietary supplement and antacid. Its formula is CaCO.
• Calcium chelate: It is used in agriculture and medicine. It is a chelating agent, an essential nutrient for plants that facilitates the absorption of other elements. It ensures the proper development of stems and leaves. It is present in the cell walls of plant tissues. In the human body, it serves the same function as the other types mentioned.
• Lactate.
• Phosphate.
• Calcium gluconate.

At certain times, it may be better to take calcium in one form or another because each chemical form has a structure that makes it easier or harder to absorb and utilize. Different formulations and commercial products may make it better to take one or the other depending on the time or personal condition.

The most commonly used calcium types are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

Functions and Uses of Calcium

Perhaps the most well-known use is being part of the structure of bones and teeth and treating osteoporosis. But it also has other properties and functions that we explain below:

• To increase bone and dental structure.
• To regulate the body’s acid-base balance as it has alkaline properties.
• It helps muscle contraction.
• It plays a role in blood clotting.
• Essential for heart health.
• Necessary for nerve signals and muscle electrical impulses to function optimally in the body.

The majority of calcium in the human body is found in the bones. About 99%. The remaining 1% is distributed in the blood and soft tissues.

Calcium Sources

There is a wide variety of fresh and natural products that contain it. Some are traditional dairy products, while others are unprocessed, such as seeds and cereals.

In addition to containing other essential nutrients like vitamin D, foods rich in calcium include:

• Sesame seeds.
• Parsley.
• Pistachios.
• Soybeans.
• Cabbage.
• Almonds.
• Cheese in almost all its varieties.
• Leafy vegetables like cardoon, endive, lettuce, chicory, parsley, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, celery, kale.
• Eating spinach and Swiss chard also provides carotenoids.

Is Milk Calcium Good?

Although it is commonly believed that milk is one of the richest sources of calcium, it is actually not the case.

Cow’s milk contains a lot of calcium (Ca), but it is not very absorbable, meaning that most of it is expelled from the body because it cannot be transported to places where the human body needs it, such as bones, teeth, or for proper blood clotting. Even for muscles to contract or relax, including the heart. So, although milk is highly recommended for its calcium content, it is an inefficient food for regulating calcium levels.

Additionally, bone enrichment occurs in the presence of vitamins D and C. Without these vitamins, even if you consume a lot of calcium, you won’t be able to utilize it as desired. So, simply eating more calcium-rich foods doesn’t guarantee the desired effects unless you add the other necessary nutrients.

It is better to consume foods with less calcium but that contain the other essential nutrients required for metabolizing it.

But to understand this, let’s see what other products you should take.

Calcium Cycle in the Human Body

One thing you should keep in mind is that only a small amount of the total calcium from food is absorbable.

This means that only 20% can stay or be fixed in the body. The rest, unfortunately, is wasted.

The absorption of calcium depends on factors such as:

• Presence of vitamin D.
• Vitamin C levels.
• A maximum of 500 mg per meal can be absorbed.
• During pregnancy, the calcium dosage you need is higher.
• In menopause, calcium levels and body requirements change.
• Older adults have a constant loss of this mineral, so the daily dose from food or supplements should be increased.
• Children and young people absorb it more effectively.
• Each individual’s gastric acidity affects absorption efficiency.
• If you have a deficiency of this mineral, then your ability to retain it is greater unless there is a disorder.

How to Have More Calcium in Bones?

In addition to factors that hinder absorption, there are other causes that minimize the amount you can retain. So, if you want to have more calcium in your bones, you should avoid:

• Stress and anxiety.
• Fats in the diet.
• Poor digestion, heavy, accelerated, etc.
• Oxalates and phytates from vegetables.
• Sedentary lifestyle.

Nervousness is one of the most frequent causes of having low calcium.

Although it might not seem related, during stressful situations, the body is unable to process and transport the small amounts we ingest to the areas where we need it most.

When you experience anxiety for many days or weeks, calcium levels begin to drop, potentially leading to a deficiency. This can have side effects, such as bone tissue destruction. Weak bones may appear.

To have plenty of calcium in the bones, we should avoid heavy meals and those high in fat. This, in addition to harming health, also prevents the macronutrient from being effective. So, there are many reasons to eat better, including wanting strong and resilient bones.

While vegetables are very healthy, some of them contain certain substances that block nutrients. Consume few antinutrients or products with phytates and oxalates.

Oxalic Acid and Calcium

Some substances in foods can trigger reactions that are not convenient for regulating calcium levels. Specifically, oxalic acid is a calcium chelator, but it also affects minerals like magnesium, iron, zinc, and copper.

You should avoid consuming them together. Oxalates precipitate the mineral, preventing it from being absorbed. It is wasted, and we do not want that to happen.

In general, consuming oxalic acid isn’t harmful. Often it’s unavoidable, as foods like Swiss chard contain some, but if consumed continuously and in large amounts, it may cause a calcium deficiency, promote kidney stones, and even produce toxic effects.

Are Calcium Pills Good?

Usually, it is unnecessary to add a calcium supplement to the diet since there are many foods that contain it.

However, in some situations, we may find it necessary.

When there is an imbalance in metabolism, a disorder, illness, or an unbalanced diet, it might be advisable to include it.

It is important to emphasize that excessive calcium is harmful. Calcium pills should only be taken when necessary.

In large amounts, calcium can have toxic effects on health, so it should always be added to the diet from food and only occasionally in pill form.

The ideal is to increase its consumption only if a doctor or health professional prescribes it.

If this is your case, keep reading because we will explain how to take it.

How to Take Calcium

After the information provided earlier, it is important to know how to take calcium correctly.

Whenever you do so, it is good to include other minerals and vitamins to increase and facilitate its transport to the bones so it can be absorbed.

Take calcium this way:

• Including vitamin B5 and B6.
• With vitamin C and D to improve absorption.
• Along with a magnesium and potassium supplement:
  • The ratio of calcium should be 3 to 2 of magnesium.
  • Also 2 of Ca for 1 of phosphorus.
• During pregnancy, a higher dose of calcium is required.
• Children and teenagers need to absorb more calcium for bones and soft tissues, as growth requires it.
• If you consume many proteins, calcium demand increases.
• Older adults often have low calcium levels in bones, blood, and tissues, especially in the skeletal system. They need a higher intake of this element in their diet.
• Be cautious with iron and zinc, as they hinder calcium metabolism.

Starting with Calcium Products

For the first 7 days, start with a low dose. Around 500 mg per day.

Once the body gets used to its presence, the dose should be increased to reach the recommended amount.

Do not exceed 500 milligrams in a single dose. If more calcium per day is needed, divide it into multiple doses.

• Adults between 19 and 70 years: 1,000 mg per day.
• Women between 51 and 70 years: 1,200 mg per day.
• Over 71 years: 1,200 mg per day.

These amounts include the part from food. The dose should be calculated based on the person’s diet and requirements until the indicated values are reached. A medical professional should always recommend using calcium products.

This calcium guide can serve as a reference, but always consult a healthcare provider.

Side Effects

• Intestinal gas.
• Abdominal distension or bloating.
• Constipation.
• Kidney stones or renal calculi.

To reduce some of these symptoms and adverse reactions, you can take it throughout the day. This will effectively reduce some of the side effects of calcium:

• Increase the amount of water you drink daily.
• Increase the intake of fiber-rich foods.

Hypercalcemia

It is a hydroelectrolytic disorder that causes an increase in calcium levels in the blood. These levels exceed 10.5 mg/dL. Its appearance must be treated properly, as it can affect the heart with:

• Arrhythmia.
• Increased gastrin.
• Peptic ulcer.
• Fatigue.
• Seizures.
• Digestive disorders.

Taking calcium in large doses is very toxic and can cause, in addition to the described symptoms, irreversible damage to the body.

Contraindications

• Iron pills.
• Antibiotic treatment.
• Kidney stones.
• Low levels of minerals such as zinc, iron, phosphorus, or magnesium.

If you are taking medication, you must always inform your doctor before starting calcium supplementation. Medications can alter the effectiveness of the treatment and reduce its effects, including its absorption, which will be lower.

It is also possible that the assimilation of other minerals, especially iron, magnesium, zinc, and phosphorus, will decrease.

People with kidney issues should exercise extra caution, especially those who have or have had kidney stones. Continuous consumption of calcium products increases the risk of developing kidney stones.

Calcium and Vitamin D

One of the vitamins that works best with this mineral is vitamin D. Including it simultaneously or mixed in the same product increases the percentage retained in the body.

Calcium and vitamin D is an effective way to absorb it in the body, whether included in the same supplement or by consuming foods rich in vitamin D.

Additionally, you can raise vitamin D levels by sunbathing with exposed skin, which will help increase levels in a simple and effective way.

Symptoms of Low Calcium (Deficiency)

• Heart arrhythmia.
• Insomnia.
• Temporary amnesia.
• Muscle spasms and cramps.
• Poor wound healing or blood clotting.
• Difficulty breathing.

This mineral with chemical symbol Ca is vital for life. It plays a role in nerve impulse transmission, and low calcium levels produce side effects and muscle symptoms such as spasms and poor movement control, as well as abnormal heartbeats.

Since it is involved in nerve transmission, a calcium deficiency can cause involuntary muscle spasms, cramps, and insomnia.

At the blood level, low blood calcium is a disorder that affects the ability to clot. It is an element that activates cell membrane permeability and prevents bruising and bleeding.

It is also necessary for respiratory function.

Calcium Antagonists

These are medications used to treat high blood pressure. Calcium antagonists or CAs are hypotensive drugs.

Calcium antagonists affect calcium channels and heart function, with antiarrhythmic effects and regulation of heart rate.