[11/30/11] Wednesday Wellness: Got Milk?

I have always loved milk, so getting enough calcium hasn't ever really been a problem for me. I can even tell when I haven't been getting enough calcium. Here's some great information about calcium and its importance in our diets:

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. The average adult has about 2 to 3 pounds of calcium in their body, with about 99% in the bones and teeth. The remaining 1% of body calcium is found in the blood and within cells, where calcium helps with dozens of metabolic processes. This 1% of calcium is so important to maintain that the body will draw on calcium stores in the bones – even at the expense of causing osteoporosis – to keep blood and cellular calcium levels within the proper range. Good dietary sources of calcium include all dairy products and several vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy and kale. A cup of milk contains about 300mg of calcium.

As previously stated, more than 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in bones, where it serves both a structural and physiological role. The most obvious need for calcium is to help build and maintain strong bones, but calcium is also important for blood clotting, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and maintenance of normal blood pressure. There is also some evidence that calcium be helpful in reducing the risk of colon cancer, regulating heart rhythms and treating premenstrual syndrome (PMS).

Among the more exciting research, scientists have recently shown that eating more calcium-rich foods reduces the risk of colon cancer in men and that women with adequate daily calcium intake can cut premenstrual symptoms in half (pain, bloating, mood swings, and food cravings). In other studies, researchers found that adequate calcium intake (along with vitamin D) can reduce blood pressure in women with mild hypertension and in black teen-agers (two groups who rarely consume enough calcium). The hypertensive effects of a high-salt diet tend to be most pronounced among people whose diets are low in calcium. In addition, women with adequate calcium intake during pregnancy gave birth to children with healthier blood pressure levels (lower than average for the first seven years of life) - this might reduce the child’s risk of developing high blood pressure later in life.

If that weren’t enough evidence that calcium might be a good idea, there is also some evidence that calcium can even influence mood and behavior. The suggestion comes from a space shuttle study in which hypertensive rats become agitated when consuming a low-calcium diet, but become more calm and relaxed and when their diets contain adequate calcium levels.

The Daily Reference Intakes (DRI) recommend the following daily intakes for calcium:
· 1300 mg for ages 9-18
· 1000 mg for adults aged 19-50
· 1200 mg for older adults
· 1500 mg for postmenopausal women not taking hormone replacement therapy

Functions of calcium:

• Promotes strong bones
• Lowers blood pressure
• Reduces risk of colon cancer
• Reduces symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS)
• Transmission of nerve impulses and control of muscle contractions
• Release of chemical messengers for communication between nerves
• Chemical signaling between cells
• Regulation of hormone and enzyme production and activity (regulation of digestion, fat metabolism, energy production)
• Hormone secretion
• Blood clotting
• Wound healing  

(Taken from Supplementwatch.com)