There comes a moment in everyone's life that calcium supplementation is necessary. Which calcium preparation should you choose and how to take it for the best effect?
Calciummakes up 90 percent of the bone. Deficiency of this element causes a disease that destroys bones - osteoporosis. As a result, one of the basic methods of prevention and treatment of this disease iscalcium supplementation- especially in people who are at risk of osteoporosis (in practice, this applies to all postmenopausal women). The pharmacy offer currently includes at least several dozen products that allow you to supplement calcium deficiencies. If you want to choose the best one for you, you should look for some important information in the leaflet attached to the preparation.
First of all: what calcium compound is in a given product and how much of it, because it is it will depend on how often we should take it during the day.
The second important information is whether the preparation contains ingredients supporting calcium absorption, i.e. vitamin D3 and vitamin K, and in what amounts.
Calcium and calcium s alts
What amount of calcium should be taken daily in the form of a dietary supplement to cover the daily requirement for this element? The vast majority of guidelines indicate that a typical dose that guarantees effective supplementation is approx. 800 mg of calcium ions per day. And here is a trap for the ignorant buyer …
When analyzing the composition of a calcium preparation, it is worth paying attention to whether the manufacturer specifies the content of the element itself (Ca) or calcium s alt. Very often the values refer to calcium s alts. This can be misleading and cause a wrong dosage of the preparation. Depending on the type of s alt, its calcium ion content varies significantly. Inorganic s alts have by far the most calcium. For example, in calcium carbonate it is about 40%, in phosphate - 39%, but in chloride - only 18%. As a result, preparations containing, for example, calcium carbonate are often enough to take only once a day - the entire daily dose of calcium is contained in one tablet. Organic s alts, on the other hand, are relatively the poorest in this element. For example, 500 mg of gluconate contains only 9% of calcium ions. Citrate and calcium malate - 24% - have a little more.
ImportantHow much do we need
Diet of the average Poleit is only able to cover 60% of the daily calcium requirement. Its average consumption in adults ranges between 600 and 700 mg / day. For adolescents aged 9-18 years, it is 850 mg / day in boys and 690 mg / day in girls. The results of the research show that the daily requirement for this macroelement, important for the organism, is not covered by 52% of women aged 20 to 40, and in their 60s, the percentage of women who do not meet the calcium consumption standards is as high as 74%.
Supporting calcium absorption
The type of calcium s alt determines not only the amount of calcium ions, but also the digestibility of this mineral in the intestines. Inorganic calcium s alts (sulphates, phosphates, carbonates), which contain the most calcium, are characterized by a low degree of bioavailability. The most effectively absorbed are organic s alts and chelates (amino acids, citrates and gluconates). By far the most commonly used calcium s alt is carbonate (CaCO3 ). It is obtained from fossil sources, as well as by chemical synthesis. There is also carbonate of animal origin. His sources include, among others shells of crustaceans and chicken eggshells. Unfortunately, data on the bioavailability of carbonate show that it is not one of the most effective sources of calcium for the body (after all, it is an inorganic s alt). Its bioavailability (e.g. from oyster shells) is estimated to be 20-25%, and this value drops to 4% in perimenopausal women. Against this background, gluconate and calcium lactate are slightly better, their absorption from the gastrointestinal tract is at the level of 20-30%. Calcium citrate can boast a bioavailability of 30-45%. The best in this respect is calcium amino acid chelate, which is absorbed in 60-80%. Such large differences in the absorption of various forms of calcium translate into the number of tablets taken.
ImportantCalcium paradox
In research into osteoporosis and the role of calcium in its treatment, a rather surprising side effect of current therapeutic approaches was discovered, which was called the "calcium paradox." It is because the body cannot direct calcium to the bones where it is really needed. Instead, calcium enters soft tissues such as arteries, leading to the tragic combination of osteoporosis and atherosclerosis. This is where the action of vitamin K2 was discovered, reducing the calcification of blood vessels by 50% and the number of deaths due to the circulatory system among he althy elderly people whose diets were rich in vitamin K2 (traditional Japanese natto dish, green leafy vegetables, tomatoes, ripe cheese). ). Studies have shown that taking vitamin K2 may not only stop,but also to reverse the calcification of the arteries. In the light of the latest research, it is believed that the treatment and prevention of osteoporosis should be based on supplementation of calcium (approx. 800 mg of ions daily), vitamin D3 (at least 800 IU daily) and vitamin K2 (approx. 100 μg daily). Preparations composed of these three ingredients are slowly beginning to appear on the Polish market. However, the doses contained in them force you to take them several times a day. In this situation, it seems more practical to use these ingredients in the form of separate products, but once a day in appropriate doses.
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