Calcium

Calcium is an indispensable mineral and the most important building material for healthy, strong bones and teeth. Calcium is particularly important for children and adolescents as well as expectant and nursing mothers. Even in old age, when bone strength decreases, calcium together with vitamin D and vitamin K2 prevents osteoporosis.

Without calcium, bones and teeth cannot be built up and preserved. An adequate supply of this essential bone-building material is particularly important, especially for growing children and adolescents, as well as expecting and nursing mothers.

Even in old age, when the bone strength decreases, a calcium supplement helps to prevent calcium osteoporosis.

Calcium also plays a crucial role in many other metabolic processes. Without calcium, blood would not clot after injury and the heart and muscles would not work.

What is calcium?

• Calcium is one of the most common chemical elements on earth and is found in large quantities in the human body. Without calcium, building and maintaining bones and teeth is impossible.
• Calcium is absorbed through the intestine, with the body's hormones of the parathyroid gland and vitamin D regulating the absorption.
• In adults, 99% of the 1 to 1.5 kg of calcium is bound in the bones and teeth. The rest is spread across cells, tissues, and blood.
• Calcium is particularly abundant in milk and all dairy products, but also in mineral water, various types of cabbage and nuts.
• An undersupply of calcium can lead to bone malformations, tooth loss, and osteoporosis.

Calcium effect

• Calcium is crucial for building and maintaining healthy, strong bones and teeth.
• Calcium ensures the maintenance of bone density
• Calcium, together with vitamins D3 and K2, can improve bone density
• It plays an important role in the signal transmission between the nerve cells
• Calcium makes an important contribution to normal muscle function
• Calcium is important for the normal functioning of the digestive enzymes
• It contributes to normal blood clotting
• Calcium is important for energy metabolism
• Calcium has a function in cell division and its specialisation

Calcium is recommended for:

• Osteoporosis, also preventive
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding period
• Phases of growth in children and adolescents
• Diabetes mellitus
• Lactose intolerance
• High-fat or high-protein diet
• Allergies
• Long-term cortisone treatment

What foods contain calcium?

The most important suppliers of calcium naturally include milk and dairy products. Hard cheese, in particular, contains large amounts of calcium.

In addition to calcium-rich mineral water, kale, broccoli, leek, legumes, or nuts also provide higher amounts of the mineral. However, vegetable calcium is absorbed by the body much more poorly than milk or food supplements.

How does a calcium deficiency manifest itself?

• Osteoporosis
• Bone pain, deformities, and fractures
• Hypersensitivity of the nerves
• Sensations like tingling or feeling like you're walking on pins and needles
• Muscle cramps
• Dry skin, eczema, hair loss, brittle nails
• Clouding of the eye lenses (cataracts)
• Heart problems with high blood pressure
• Bleeding disorders
• Caries and periodontal disease
• Incontinence

Calcium intake and application:

Depending on the country and authority, calcium amounts between 450 and 1200 mg are given for daily needs, which reflects the uncertainty of the actual requirements needs. In addition, the amount of calcium actually absorbed by the body strongly depends on the diet, age, as well as the availability of vitamin D.

Children and adolescents, expectant and nursing mothers, absorb 60% to 75% of the calcium contained in their food. In adults, this rate of absorption is usually 30% to 40% and decreases with age.

To avoid calcium removal from the body's own stores and thus bone decalcification, an additional intake as a dietary supplement makes sense.

For whom is calcium particularly important?

• Children and adolescents
• Women over approximately 45 and men over approximately 60
• Expectant and nursing mothers
• Diabetics
• Vegans
• Osteoporosis patients
• People who take cortisone permanently
• People with lactose intolerance
• People suffering from a sun allergy

What experts say about calcium:

1. Calcium ensures a flawless smile
As an American study showed, a calcium dose of 800 to 1000 mg per day decreases the risk of gum loss, the main cause of tooth loss. A calcium-stabiliesd jawbone is probably more resistant to the attacks of the bacteria that are responsible for the periodontosis, according to researchers at New York State University.

2. Bone loss: Calcium prevents this
Older people, in particular, should take enough calcium to prevent bone loss the Federal Association of German Pharmacist Associations advises. For osteoporosis prophylaxis, it is also advisable to take additional calcium, which should be taken with meals if possible, to improve the uptake.