Calcium - an essential mineral in the human body

More than 99% of the total amount of calcium contained in the human body is concentrated in the bones and teeth. Calcium is the most important structural component of the musculoskeletal system, it is also necessary for the good condition of nails and hair, as well as for the full functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and muscular systems (calcium contributes to maintaining the normal tone of blood vessels, is "responsible" for the contraction and relaxation of skeletal muscles, and thus also takes part in the processes of regulation of excitation and retention in the cerebral cortex). Possessing anti-inflammatory, anti-allergic and antioxidant properties, calcium plays a sufficiently important role in the activation of digestive enzymes and in the regulation of blood coagulation, contributing to the increase of the human body's resistance to the effects of various infections and toxins.

About 800 mg of calcium should enter our body daily, which is very difficult to provide through food products. That is why it is very important to fill the calcium deficiency and keep the balance of its content in the body.

Over time, all the internal systems of the body wear out, but it is in the bone system that particularly strong changes occur. Bones become thinner and weaker, gradually losing calcium. Weak bones most often break, they cannot withstand the normal human load. One of the most serious problems "stalking" a person with age is osteoporosis, in which calcium begins to be actively "washed" from all the bone tissue in the body.

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease of the skeleton that belongs to the group of metabolic osteopathies. It is characterized by a decrease in the density of bone tissue and an increase in the risk of fracture. Thus, at the basis of the development of metabolic osteopathy lies a disorder of bone tissue remodeling.

Osteoporosis is one of the most common non-infectious diseases. According to research data, in people over 50 years of age, osteoporosis occurs in every third woman and every fifth man. This dangerous disease can cause pain, loss of motor activity, disability, and sometimes death.

Diet and physical activity to help.

The main goal of osteoporosis treatment is to strengthen bones by improving their properties, increasing mineral density and reducing the risk of fractures, as well as reducing pain. The best results are achieved with the complex approach.

The best prevention of osteoporosis is a balanced diet from the youngest age, when the bone mass is formed / in women - up to 30 years old./ It is very important to enrich the diet with calcium, which is the most important structural component of musculoskeletal system, calcium is necessary for maintaining good conditions of nails and hair, as well as for the full functioning of the nervous, cardiovascular and muscular systems.

Lifestyle changes are also part of the treatment. Research shows that regular exercise can reduce the chance of bone fractures in osteoporosis. They cause the muscles to act on the bone tissue, which stimulates its growth and thus not only preserves, but also increases the density of the bones. It is also known that women who walk 1-2 km every day get a reserve to store bone density for 4-7 years.

In the course of evolution, our body has learned to absorb calcium from practically any source. The best sources are plant-based: green leafy vegetables, seeds such as poppy, chia, hemp and sesame, beans, lentils and almonds.

Calcium or Vitamin K?

It is clear that bones consist mainly of calcium. But it's not marble, which is also mostly calcium! Our bone is formed from complex crystals in a strictly defined manner. And, moreover, these crystals are constantly renewed - they are destroyed and replaced by new ones. This crystallization process follows a strictly defined matrix. And the role of this matrix in the bone is performed by a special protein - osteocalcin. It is synthesized with the participation of vitamin K, which is no less important than the well-known vitamin D.

Adequate daily doses of vitamin K are 200-300 mcg.

Why is bone stronger than stalactite?

Unlike stalactites, our bones have an armature - collagen fibers. It is they who make our bone not only strong, but also elastic and resistant to twisting, impact, shrinkage, etc. Bone reinforcement is also constantly being renewed, and this requires vitamins B6 and C, as well as plant flavonoids.

Adequate doses of vitamin B6 - 2-4 mg per day, vitamin C - 100-200 mg, flavonoids - 30-100 mg.

Hormones rule the bones, and we rule the hormones

Calcium is a vital mineral. It is necessary for the work of the heart and blood vessels, for maintaining normal blood clotting, for the work of muscles and the nervous system. These functions for the body are much more important than maintaining healthy bones. Therefore, the body at every opportunity seeks to "take" calcium from the bones for more important tasks. This is opposed by a special hormonal system that "pulls" calcium back from the blood to the bones. First, it is the hormone calcitonin, and, secondly, it is the sex hormones (in women – estrogens, and in men – testosterone). However, for the normal functioning of calcitonin, we need sufficient zinc. And the activity of sex hormones significantly decreases with age, in women we can somewhat fight this with the help of plant analogues of these hormones - phytoestrogens.

At the same time, daily doses of phytoestrogens should be no less than 20-40 mg, and of zinc - 15-30 mg.

Calcium and magnesium are twin brothers

Our body is structured in such a way that in all processes in which calcium is involved, magnesium is necessarily present. With magnesium deficiency, calcium either stops working or starts to harm the body (for example, blood pressure increases or heart rhythm is disturbed). In the bone system, with magnesium deficiency, the absorption of calcium in the intestines and its entry into the bones sharply decreases until the development of rickets. The ideal ratio of calcium to magnesium in food or supplements is 5:2.

We cannot monitor the levels of all minerals and vitamins and constantly do tests, which also cost quite a bit of money. It is better to add pearl powder, spirulina and reishi and cordyceps mushrooms to our food. Thus, the body will get what it needs and will enter into a balance of minerals and vitamins.