Why is Calcium Important?

           Calcium is probably the most widely known mineral today.
Television commercials constantly remind us of the importance of getting
enough calcium in our daily diets, yet studies show that millions of
Americans still only get a fraction of what they should.

            A lack of sufficient calcium in the diet shows its affect very
early on. In fact, research has shown that mothers should ensure a diet rich
in calcium while carrying her child-and twenty years prior. Children need
the most calcium of any age group, since their bodies are constantly
maturing and forming new tissue. Yet in America today most young children
are fed diets high in processed foods and refined sugar, both of which lead
directly to calcium loss. Children deficient in calcium often exhibit signs
of hip troubles; difficulties with tendons of the feet, as well as the
arteries and skull bones; scurvy; bone softening; poor teeth; and rickets.

            Calcium deficiencies don’t just affect the very young, however;
almost all older children and most adults also suffer from insufficient
calcium. The first and most common sign of calcium deficiency is dental
cavities. Lack of calcium may also cause defective bone metabolism, chronic
diseases, anemia, asthma, hay fever, tuberculosis, and various blood
disorders.

            Some symptoms exuded in those with calcium levels include kidney
pains, tumors, inflammations, poor circulation, damp palms, and cold feet.
Studies have shown that a deficiency in calcium may also cause many
psychological and emotional problems as well. Among those cited are lack of
patience, disgust for life, lack of personality, and extreme suspicion.

            The correct amount of calcium in the diet is extremely
beneficial. Calcium is essential in forming hemoglobin in the blood, as well
as in the clotting of the blood, and maintaining alkalinity of the blood.
Calcium also aids digestion; promotes good growth, vitality, and vigor by
regulating the metabolism; and lends strength to the walls of arteries and
veins. Calcium salts remove phosphates through the intestines, reducing the
work of the kidneys. The right proportion of calcium in the blood is
responsible for the alternate contraction and relaxation of the heart
muscle. Strong teeth and bones are often accredited to sufficient
calcium-yet most never stop to think how important strong bones are to
protecting the major organs through the use of the ribs and skull bones.

            In America today, osteoporosis, a condition caused by weak
bones, affects nearly 24 million citizens. In fact, the annual cost of
treating osteoporosis is about ten billion dollars. Over fifty percent of
Caucasian women are known to suffer spinal fractures, and complications due
to broken hips kill thousands annually. Experts say the primary prevention
of osteoporosis should begin around puberty, an age at which only about 37%
of the population receives sufficient calcium. Osteoporosis, a disease most
common in women, is also affected by nursing. Women who nurse their infant
for six months or more lose a significant amount of the mineral from their
bones, and after menopause, women tend to lose the protective effect of the
hormone estrogen, which results in a rapid loss of bone calcium.

            Calcium is not only necessary for strong bones. Increasing
dietary calcium may help to prevent colon cancer, even in patients with a
familial history of the disease. In a study conducted at the University of
Kentucky in Lexington, tumor incidence was 50% lower in test subjects
receiving the highest amounts of calcium and vitamin D when compared to
other test subjects. In a group of white and black men, 1500 milligrams a
day of calcium taken for twelve weeks showed significantly lower blood
pressure. Diastolic blood pressure was shown to drop significantly in
sixteen out of twenty-six patients with mild essential hypertension treated
only with calcium supplements for six months.

            Where should you be getting the 1000-1500 milligrams of calcium
recommended daily? Foods such as raw milk, cabbage, yellow cornmeal, nuts,
egg yolks, beans, and rice contain significant amounts of calcium. Sesame
seeds, broccoli, carrots, and figs also contain calcium. If you eat many of
these foods, it is quite possible that you are ingesting much of the calcium
necessary to support a healthy body. However, a problem arises with the
question: Are you retaining enough calcium to be beneficial? Studies show
that between 10%-50% of calcium ingested is not absorbed but excreted in the
feces. Oxalic acid, which is found in spinach, cranberries, and rhubarb,
increases the excretion of calcium. Many other substances interfere with the
absorption of calcium, such as insufficient vitamin D and fiber, or excess
phosphorus, phytic acid, and even stress. Smoking and alcohol consumption
may also interfere with calcium absorption. Healthy kidneys are also
necessary for the metabolism of calcium. Lactose, which is only found in
milk, is also useful to increase the absorption rate.

            In order to ensure that you are receiving enough calcium, it is
important to supplement your balanced diet with liquid minerals, which are
easily and quickly absorbed into the system and utilized. It is also
beneficial to take all you mineral supplements at night, because the mineral
flux that maintains bone growth is greatest during sleep.