Calcium – The Elixir of Your Bones
PlanetSupplement.com analyzes the best health supplements and reviews them thoroughly.
Calcium-it’s one of the most well-known and popular supplements on the market today, and for good reason. It’s a vitamin that’s absolutely essential to so many parts of the body, including but not limited to the bones, teeth, heart and nerves. Calcium is typically kept in reserve in the bones and released to other body parts when needed, according to webmd.com. Unfortunately, as we age the calcium levels tend to decline, especially in women, due to their reduced estrogen levels. Without adequate calcium, bones become weaker, as it is needed for rebuilding them. Calcium supplements are available at PlanetSupplement.com.
The Benefits of Calcium
The benefits of taking a good calcium supplement on a daily basis are numerous. Calcium can be used to treat complications arising from intestinal bypass surgery, as well as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and Lyme disease. It can also reduce high fluoride levels in children’s bodies, and reduce phosphate levels in kidney patients. Calcium carbonate is typically found in antacids such as “Tums,” and can be used to treat PMS and pregnancy symptoms, according to webmd.com. Taking supplements can help treat bones loss and osteoporosis. In fact, one study has found that women who take supplements for 30 years after menopause experience 10 percent improvement in bone strength and 50 percent overall reduction in bone breaks. This is definitely significant! Taking the supplement can also reduce mood swings, bloating, and food cravings among women who suffer from PMS. According to webmd.com, pregnant women who take the supplement can increase fetal bone density, and it can also reduce thyroid hormone levels in people suffering from kidney failure.
Calcium Deficiency
There are a variety of health conditions that can result from a calcium deficiency. Without adequate amounts of this substance, your bones will gradually weaken, resulting in osteoporosis. A condition called hypocalcemia can also develop from a low level of calcium in the blood, and this often occurs from taking medications such as diuretics and various medical treatments. A severe deficiency can lead to high blood pressure and cardiac arrhythmia, according to localhealth.com. Other symptoms of inadequate intake include, back and neck pain, bone pain or tenderness, bones that easily fracture, loss of height and stooped posture.
Symptoms of hypocalcemia include muscle cramps, numbness, burning or prickling sensations, poor appetite and bruised areas of the body, according to localhealth.com.
The Downfalls of Taking Calcium Supplements
This is a highly safe supplement, although taking too much of it can lead to belching and gas, so be careful! According to the Institute of Medicine, individuals over over 18 should take no more than 2,500 mg a day and individuals over 50 years should take no more than 2,000 mg a day. Remember that when calculating your total calcium intake, you need to combine the amount in your supplement with the amount you’re consuming in your daily diet. According to webmd.com, calcium and phosphate must remain in balance, so be careful to not take too much and throw this level off. This issue can be addressed by a health care provider. Also, people with hypothyroidism, also known as an under-active thyroid, should be careful because the supplement can interfere with their treatment. This can be avoided by waiting to take the supplement four hours after taking thyroid medication, according to the site.
Remember that quinolone antibiotics can interact with the supplement, as it can decrease the absorption of the antibiotic. Wait at least an hour to take the supplement after taking an antibiotic.The supplement can also interact with tetracycline antibiotics, because the calcium can attach to them in the stomach, decreasing the amount of tetracyclines that are absorbed. To avoid this effect,t he supplement should be taken two hours prior to taking he antibiotic or four hours after. Finally, be careful when taking water pills when you’re taking the supplement, because the water pills can cause too much calcium to be present in the body, which could potentially lead to kidney problems.