Calcium Supplements – Why Bother?

All of us have heard of the importance of calcium in our diet. Calcium helps improve bone density and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. It keeps teeth strong and healthy. Calcium is needed for blood clotting, muscle contraction and transmission of signals in nerve cells. It also may have an effect on weight loss. Research has shown that consuming 800 mg or more of calcium each day can increase weight loss.

So how much calcium do you really need? To make it easy to understand, most people need the equivalent of 4 cups of milk a day. If you are menopausal or post-menopausal, the amount would increase to a total equivalent of 6 cups of milk a day.

There are many sources of dietary calcium. Using the same one cup of milk measurement example: one cup of milk easily translates to three-quarters of a cup of yogurt, approximately a one and a quarter cube of cheddar cheese, a cup of calcium fortified orange juice, a cup of calcium fortified soy or rice milk, two cups of baked beans or one and a half cups of cottage cheese.

Calcium is available in fruits and vegetables but in smaller quantities. The amount of calcium in one cup of milk would be equivalent to six oranges, four and a half cups of cooked broccoli, 20 dried figs or 2 cups of Bok Choy.

In all of the examples above, to fulfill the daily requirement needs you would have to multiply any one of them by four times (or six times for menopausal/post menopausal women).
Excessive salt and caffeine have been shown to work against calcium. There are studies that suggest that over 3 cups of coffee or caffeinated drinks can cause calcium loss. If you don’t want to cut down you can compensate by drinking a cup of milk (or calcium equivalent) for every cup of coffee/caffeinated drink you consume over the 3 cup daily limit.

Many people with busy lifestyles just find it easier to take supplements. Supplements are a good insurance policy. Most of us just don’t eat perfectly each day and end up missing essential nutrients. For those with dairy allergies it is especially hard to meet the daily calcium requirement through food.

Selecting a calcium supplement can be challenging. The store shelves are filled with bottles from different sources of calcium with or without added vitamins and minerals. The most common sources of calcium are calcium carbonate and calcium citrate.

Calcium carbonate, often found in ant-acids is the one most commonly seen. It is the least expensive and is actually mined from the earth. If you tend to take vitamins with meals this is a good choice because it is best absorbed after eating food.

Calcium citrate on the other hand is the best absorbed supplemental calcium because calcium is best absorbed in an acidic environment. This is a good source of calcium if you want to take your supplement on the go since it doesn’t need food to be absorbed by the body. Those who have acid reflux would probably prefer either the calcium carbonate or a supplement that provides both the calcium citrate and the calcium carbonate.

The other very important criterion when choosing a calcium supplement is to make sure it includes Vitamin D. When calcium is absorbed in your system it actually uses Vitamin D. To prevent Vitamin D deficiency, you require at least 400 IU each day.

At the end of the day most people find that they didn’t eat the recommendation of calcium. An easy way to amend this is to take calcium supplements. One such calcium supplement is the Tahitian Noni Tahiti Trim Plan 40 Calcium Plus. It is easily chewable, highly absorbable calcium supplement that contains calcium citrate and carbonate as well as Vitamin D and Magnesium. Your bones will appreciate it.