From the time we’re little, our caregivers are consistently reminding us how important the benefits of calcium are for strong and healthy bones. While there is no doubt that calcium helps our bones grow and keeps them strong well into the golden years, calcium has other significant jobs too. And it’s also vital to remember the key link between vitamin d and calcium absorption, so you should be purchasing a supplement containing both (unless you enjoy drinking your milk outside in the sun).When it comes to choosing a calcium supplement, calcium citrate has the most benefits as it is easier to get dissolved in your body than calcium carbonate, especially if you have insufficient stomach acid production. And remember, our body is able to absorb only 500 mg of calcium pill at any one given time, so you may need to take your supplement twice or more daily in order to reap all its benefits.
Benefits of calcium citrate do not stop at being critical to maintaining bone quality. This mineral is also essential for muscle and nerve health. This makes it ever more important to ensure that your diet is providing enough or that you are combining dietary supplements with your intake. Because you may not be able to eat a lot of herring, halibut and shiitake mushrooms every day to get your vitamin D from food, it’s important to find a supplement that takes both. Why? Because vitamin d is critical to helping your body absorb calcium, so in order to reap all the calcium benefits you can, you best have some vitamin d handy too. Thankfully, calcium and vitamin d supplements are easy to find, so you won’t have any excuses for missing out on all the important benefits of calcium.
While children are frequently bothered about finishing their milk, benefits of calcium citrate do not deteriorate as we age. In fact, deficiencies of this vital mineral can cause symptoms such as muscle cramps and brittle nails. This is why it’s important that you combine calcium and vitamin d supplements with a healthy diet. As we age, our bodies sneak calcium from our bones and teeth to use for other purposes, thus making the benefits of calcium no less essential in our golden years, and a lack could even lead to osteoporosis, which is common in women.
If you choose a supplement for your dietary needs, don’t forget that you can still pick up some good bone ju ju from foods you may already eat and love. Collard greens, arugula, kale and spinach are all chock full of goodness that will ensure great muscle and nerve function along with providing your body with all the calcium it can handle. Depriving the body of essential nutrients can lead to lifelong complications, so make the choice on how to best get them, as long as you get them.
