Holistic Nutrition: Calcium, Why is it important to our health?

What is Calcium?

• Calcium is a mineral
• Calcium is absorbed in the small intestine.
• Calcium is like a fat~soluble vitamin: reason needs a carrier for absorption and transport. 
• So Calcium is absorbed in the Gut it needs Vitamin D. 
• 98% Of the Calcium is stored in the bones, and when the body needs it takes from stored Calcium

The benefits of Calcium:

• Building & Maintaining strong bones
• Maintaining healthy heart
• Maintaining healthy muscles 
• Maintaining healthy nerves 
• Healthy teeth
• It helps with the clotting of blood
• It could help with high blood pressure

How much do we need daily?

*Please read below on supplements*

What happens if deficient

• Rickets in Children
• Weak bones
• Irritability
• Numbness
• tingling (hands and Feet)
• Muscle spasms
• renal calcification
• brain calcification
• depression
• Bipolar disorder
• cataracts
• congestive heart failure
• Paresthesia
• seizures

Medication that interferes with Calcium

• Dolutegavir (can reduce blood levels of Dolutegravir substantially) *wait 2 hours before or 6 hours after taking Calcium.
• Levothyroxine (Calcium can interfere with levothyroxine absorption)
• Lithium – using it long-term can lead to hypercalcemia 
• Quinolone antibiotics
  • Ciprofloxacin
  • Gemifloxacin
  • Moxifloxacin
• Ibandronate (Boniva)
• Alendronate (Fosamax)

(reduces the absorption of the anastomotic.)*take 2 hours before or 6 hours after

• High dose of Bisphosphonates
  • Zoledronic acid (Reclast)
• Prolia (Denosumab) (Can cause low Calcium)
• Sensipar (may cause low)
• Phenytoin (lowers Vitamin D Levels and turn, affects your absorption of Calcium) 
• Cisplatin (causes low magnesium, which leads to low Calcium)
• Diuretics (can lead to loss of Calcium through the urine)
• Proton Pump Inhibitors
  • Prilosec
  • Nexium

(Can lead to lower Calcium absorption and low calcium level) 

• Aminoglycoside *used for bacterial infections*
  • Tobramycin
  • Gentamicin

(Can cause hypocalcemia because it affects the way the kidneys handle Calcium) 

• Sodium Can cause Calcium to be released in urine, which could make you low on Calcium.

Calcium interactions 

• Iron supplements should be taken at different times of taking Calcium.
• Asprin (low dose) can decrease the actions of aspirin.

Reasons to have absorption issues of Calcium

• Menopause can lead to bone loss.
• People or lactose intolerant or don’t eat dairy products.

Where to find Calcium

Fruit

• Figs
• Oranges
• Blackcurrants
• Blackberries

Veggies

• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Collards
• Kale
• Mustard Greens
• Bok Choy
• Edamame
• Acorn Squash

Animal products

*When buying Milk and animal products. Ensuring that the animals are pasture-raised and grass-fed ensures the best quality of life for the animal and high nutritional value. 

• whole milk
• Yogurt
• Cheese

Beans

• Pinto
• Tempe
• Red kidney
• Navy

Seeds 

• Poppy
• Sesame
• Celery
• Chia

Supplements

Regarding Supplments. Like I have said before and will always. First, check levels with a doctor or practitioner before starting any supplements. 

**The best way to get your Vtimines and minerals is through a whole nutrient-dense diet.  **

With that said, while there are supplements out there. First, I want to direct you to one of many studies regarding supplements. 

*An excerpt of the study* 

Calcium is an essential element in the diet, but there is continuing controversy regarding its optimal intake and its role in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. Most studies show little evidence of a relationship between calcium intake and bone density or the rate of bone loss. Re-analysis of data from the placebo group from the Auckland Calcium Study demonstrates no association between dietary calcium intake and rate of bone loss over 5 years in healthy older women with intakes varying from <400 to >1500 mg per day(-1) . Thus, supplements are not needed within this range of intakes to compensate for a demonstrable dietary deficiency but might be acting as weak anti-resorptive agents via effects on parathyroid hormone and calcitonin. Consistent with this, supplements do acutely reduce bone resorption and produce small short-term effects on bone density without evidence of a cumulative density benefit. As a result, anti-fracture efficacy remains unproven, with no evidence to support hip fracture prevention (other than in a cohort with severe vitamin D deficiency), and total fracture numbers are reduced by 0-10%, depending on which meta-analysis is considered. Five recent large studies have failed to demonstrate fracture prevention in their primary analyses. This must be balanced against an increase in gastrointestinal side effects (including a doubling of hospital admissions for these problems), a 17% increase in renal calculi, and a 20-40% increase in the risk of myocardial infarction. Each of these adverse events alone neutralizes any possible benefit in fracture prevention. Thus, calcium supplements appear to have a negative risk-benefit effect and so should not be used routinely in the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis. 

Over dousing 

• Hypercalcemia
  • poor muscle tone
  • renal insufficiency
  • hypophosphatemia
  • Urinating a lot
  • Kidney stones
  • constipation
  • nausea
  • weight loss
  • fatigue
  • polyuria
  • heart arrhythmia 

Well, I learned a lot with this one. The study was an eye-opener for me. Did you find anything you learned? Please comment below.