Calcium is a mineral that is used by the human body to produce strong bones and teeth. It is also used to regulate the heart beat. The biggest portion of calcium that is taken in by the body is stored in a person’s bones and teeth. If a person’s calcium needs are not met through their diet or through supplements taken on a daily basis, the body will remove calcium from the bones in order to function. Over time this can lead to weak or brittle bones that can be broken easily. Calcium deficiencies have been linked to developing osteoporosis as well in women over the age of 40. Throughout your life, calcium also proves to be very important. During the most important stages of your life, including childhood, pregnancy and breastfeeding, getting the right quantity of calcium is crucial. Calcium helps with the growth of teeth and bones in children. It can also prevent blood clots that cause heart attacks. In adults, calcium is helpful in preventing osteoporosis.
The human body needs calcium through its whole life. The needs will vary depending on the age and the point of development. For infants through the age of 3 years, 500 mg/ day is recommended, 4 to 8 years of age 800mg/day, 9-18 years of age 1,300 mg/day, and over the age of 19, 1,000-1,200 mg/day are the recommended daily dosages of calcium needed to promote optimum health. The best way to get adequate calcium is through a healthy diet however most diets today are not considered to have enough foods included to give the recommended amount of calcium needed to promote healthy bones and teeth for adults. There are many good calcium supplements that are available for consumers today who are concerned about getting enough calcium for their dietary needs.
If you are taking or planning to include calcium in your vitamins, you should take it either before or after a meal with water. Make sure to chew the pills before you swallow if you are taking chewable calcium supplements. If you are having trouble in chewing these pills, you can try dissolving them in a glass of water. You may then slowly drink the water once the supplement is dissolved. Keep in mind not to take other medications immediately after taking calcium supplements, because calcium can sometimes interfere with other medications that you may be taking.
Calcium can promote the growth of bones and teeth, and also has other positive effects on our overall health. However, remember that before buying calcium supplements, you must make sure that you are allowed to take them. For those who suffer lung disease, stomach problems, kidney stones and diarrhea, a doctor should always be consulted. This is to ensure that calcium will actually be beneficial to our bodies and not create other complications. Pregnant women should also always consult a physician before taking any medications or vitamins, as these can sometimes be transmitted to an unborn child through the breast milk.
There are some things that first need to be considered when looking for calcium supplements to take. Calcium supplements may include a USP label. This label means that the supplement has been checked by the United States Phamacopeia and has been certified free of lead and other metals. This is a voluntary certification and many supplements do not carry the symbol. However a label gives consumers an added protection.
In order for calcium supplements to be used by the body, it must be dissolved by the stomach first. Products that have a USP label have been checked and have passed a test for this. If they do not have the label, you can test the product by first placing a tablet in a cup of vinegar or pickle juice. If it dissolves in less than thirty minutes, it is reasonably safe to say it will dissolve in the stomach. If it does not dissolve, then it is time to find another supplement as your body will not be able to absorb the calcium from the tablets.
To find out how many calcium tablet you should take per day, look for the labels on the bottle. There will be a listing for elemental calcium. This is the amount of calcium that is available to be absorbed by the body. This is the actual amount that is considered when calculating the dosages for calcium supplements. This is only a portion of the actual calcium compounds that are listed on the labels and the elemental calcium is the only amount that needs to be considered when calculating dosages.
There are certain acid reflux blockers or medications for indigestion that will reduce the absorption of calcium supplements. If a person is taking these types of medication, one type of calcium, calcium citrate may work much better for them than other compounds will. This is because calcium citrate does not need an acidic type of environment to be absorbed by the body.
Normally, almost anyone can take calcium supplements, although using them in huge doses can have adverse effects on the body. Taking calcium in large doses may cause constipation, loss of appetite, dry mouth, nausea and vomiting. Contact your doctor immediately if you are experiencing any of these problems. Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking any other medications, or if your family has a history any particular illnesses or diseases. This will help the doctor determine the optimum program for your personal health. Although most people can take calcium supplements, there are cases where negative instead of positive results have occurred. Side effects are usually very rare, but at times can prevent an individual from getting the right amount of calcium.
If you have been having problems related to bones or osteoporosis, or even if you just want to keep your bones strong and healthy, calcium supplements are a good way to go. You can buy them through the Internet or through a local nutrition store such as GNC. They do not cost much, yet they can provide great peace of mind, since we all know that calcium helps to build and maintain strong bones. You can also include calcium with your healthy diet – just make sure that you inform your doctor before taking calcium supplements to insure that they are appropriate for you. The elderly who have calcium deficiencies in their diets should also look for magnesium and Vitamin D supplements as well. These other two nutrients are often deficient in the elderly who have problems with low calcium levels or problems with brittle bones and need more calcium in their diets.
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