How To Get Sufficient Calcium Into The Body

by Dr. Harold Gunatillake – Health writer

Very high calcium content in spinach and within the reach of the average person

Your body breaks down old bone cells and replaces with new ones all the time, similar to what goes on in your skin. Sometimes, we call this process, ‘wear and tear’.

You need to be healthy, exercising daily and taking calcium as supplements or in your food to replenish lost calcium in the old bone cells. Osteoporosis is softening of your bones with deletion of calcium and other minerals.

Some individuals are put on cortisone preparations like prednisolone long term to make you feel better from certain auto-immune diseases like temporal arteritis, and arthritic joints. Sometimes, individuals suffering from chronic asthma among others are recommended small doses of cortisone daily.

Long term continuation of any cortisone preparation leads to depletion of calcium from the bones and result in osteoporosis.

How can they maintain healthy bones without softening leading to fractures, especially in your 60’s and beyond? Women are more susceptible to osteoporosis during the postmenopausal period due to insufficient oestrogen hormone in the body.

You could drink as much milk and take calcium supplements, but it is important to take fat soluble vitamin D for the absorption of calcium from the food you eat, otherwise calcium gets sent out of the body as waste in your stools. The saying goes- the fish in the ocean enjoys it. Weight bearing exercises as a daily routine also is required for bone strength and absorption of calcium.

School children should be encouraged to participate in sports and other recreational activities daily to develop strong bones, which pays dividends in their later life. By exercising the skeletal muscles attached to the bones help grow and make your bones strong.

So, along with weight bearing exercise, calcium and vitamin D go together for good bone density and good health in general.There are simple ways of getting calcium and vitamin D without supplementation.The best way to get more calcium is to improve your diet. You already know that dairy products – such as milk, cheese, and yogurt – are good sources of calcium for those who don’t have lactose or other dairy intolerance. Other foods that are high in calcium include:
• Spinach
• Kale
• Okra
• Collards
• Soy beans
• White beans
• Some fish, like sardines, salmon, perch, and rainbow trout
• Foods that are calcium fortified, such as some orange juice, oatmeal, and breakfast cereal.

There are a few foods containing vitamin D and a lot harder to get them. Fortunately, in the tropics, UV rays of the sun help you to manufacture vitamin D in your skin. Only half an hour exposure per day is sufficient.

Foods that contain vitamin D are fatty fish, foods fortified with vitamin D, like some dairy products, orange juice, soy milk and breakfast cereals. Beef liver, cheese and egg yolks supply sufficient vitamin D if you consume them daily. The average person may not be able to afford purchase these calcium-rich foods from the supermarkets in Sri Lanka.

The average working class person is slim, muscles wasted, malnourished and carry hardly any stored fat in the body.

The packet of rice and curry to eat for convenience do not provide them with sufficient macro and micro-nutrients including minerals.Fortunately, these workers are exposed to sunlight and naturally get the required quota of vitamin D without their knowing.

Recommended vitamin D is 600 IU per day for children age 1 to adults through age 70. For people older than 70 daily requirements is 800 IU.

To get vitamin D from food, fish is the best option. Six ounces of cooked salmon has more than 600 IU. Other foods containing vitamin D include eggs, liver, fortified dairy products, and fortified juice. These foods are beyond the reach of average wage earners. Sri Lanka is bound to produce a sick nation due to poverty, and also uncontrolled traffic pollution.If you are not sure that you get adequate vitamin D and calcium, it would be a good idea to get those levels checked in your blood and also get a bone density scan, and your doctor will advise you on such investigations.

Older people may find it difficult to absorb calcium and vitamin D and your doctor may recommend supplements.

Supplements available

There are different types of calcium supplements and vitamin D supplements available — such as calcium citrate and calcium carbonate and vitamin D2 (ergocalciferol) and D3 (cholecalciferol).

Current evidence suggests that there’s not a big difference between them, although some research has found that vitamin D3 might be more effective than D2. Calcium carbonate can be more difficult to absorb on an empty stomach or if you have low levels of stomach acid compared to calcium citrate, so it should be taken with food. Also, since vitamin D is fat soluble, it is best absorbed with a meal that contains fat? Again, your doctor can advise you on the right supplements for you.

Could you have a hidden calcium or vitamin D deficiency? Even people who seem like they should be getting enough calcium and vitamin D sometimes aren’t. For instance, some medicines and health conditions can block the normal absorption of calcium or vitamin D. Talk to your doctor about any potential problems that might put you at risk for low levels of calcium or vitamin D.

Calcium is required not only for bone growth. Your heart muscles need calcium for its rhythmic contractions. It is also required for blood flow and the release of hormones in your body.

Low vitamin D levels are connected with muscle weakness and immune function. Some studies have shown that low vitamin D is linked to diseases like colon cancer, breast cancer and rheumatoid arthritis.Some studies have shown that Acid diets high meat protein is beneficial to calcium utilization and bone health, especially in the elderly to prevent osteoporosis.A high-protein diet with adequate calcium and fruits and vegetables is important for bone health and osteoporosis prevention.