A Unique Look at Calcium
As everyone knows, calcium is a vitally important mineral for the body. In addition to its commonly known role in building and maintaining strong bones and teeth, calcium is also important for blood clotting, enzyme regulation (especially in energy production), and the integrity of all cells, including muscle function.
The calcium problem encountered most often is not that people need more of it in their diet, or that they need to take calcium supplements; it's that many people do not properly utilize the calcium they already have in their bodies. There are many factors that either decrease or increase the body's ability to use calcium. Before discussing that aspect, let's briefly look at how calcium works in the body.
Calcium is carried through the bloodstream in two distinct forms: about half is in a usable ionized form, and the other half is attached to protein, phosphate and citrate and is unavailable as a nutrient. However, if the pH (the acid/alkaline balance) is too alkaline, even the usable calcium may not be used.
This is especially true when is comes to digestion. If the normal stomach acid is neutralized or diluted, calcium may not even be absorbed into the body. This may happen from drinking milk and especially when taking antacids, and is called the milk alkali syndrome. It is not just a concern for the elderly, but any age group, as everyone requires good calcium absorption.
Some other factors which may adversely affect the stomach, rendering less calcium absorption:
1. Drinking liquids with meals.
2. Eating meals late in the evening (least efficient time).
3. Depression, anger or other negative mental states before, during or after the meal.
4. Eating large meals with a wide variety of different foods (especially mixing starches or sweets with meats).
5. Age. Normally, the amount of hydrochloric acid decreases with age. A 75 year old may have only 15% of the stomach acid they had when they were 20 years old.
Factors which may improve stomach function, hence improving calcium metabolism:
1. Drinking little or no liquids with meals. A small amount of wine will aid digestion (1-2 glasses).
2. Eating larger meals earlier in the day, and light meals at the end of the day.
3. Eating meals with fewer food combinations. Especially avoiding protein/sugar combinations. (Have dessert an hour or so after protein meals).
4. Chewing food well, and eating slowly.
5. Relaxing around meal time.
Once inside the body, calcium is carefully regulated by the hormonal system, vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorous and fats. Prostaglandins (derived from dietary fats) are necessary for calcium to enter the bones and other areas of need.
Some factors which prevent calcium use once in the body:
1. Eating high oxalate foods such as cocoa, spinach, parsley and soybeans.
2. Consuming large amounts of high phytate foods from processed grains, especially oats. This problem is remedied by eating whole grains and fresh, raw vegetables. Both contain significant amounts of phytase, which render phytates harmless in the intestines.
3. Eating large amounts of high phosphate foods such as lunch meats, soft drinks, bran and wheat germ. Lecithin is very high in phosphorous. Also, some dish soap contains phosphates and often finds its way into the diet as a result of not properly rinsing soap from dishes. Large amounts of phosphorus in the diet can actually cause bone loss.
4. High protein diets.
5. Mental and emotional stress. It's been shown this can results in twice as much calcium lost as consumed.
Some factors which improve calcium use in the body include:
1. Sunshine (Vitamin D).
2. Acidifying foods such as apple cider vinegar, sauerkraut, cabbage, vine ripened tomatoes, tomato juice.
3. Small amounts of wine with meals if tolerated.
4. Foods containing natural fats, such as eggs, butter and unprocessed vegetable oils. (Infants can't absorb calcium if they eat fats other than those from human milk.)
Excess Calcium
Calcium is one nutrient which, when in excess, can cause problems. Symptoms are actually like those of too little calcium, and may include dry itchy skin, fatigue, high blood pressure, constipation, bone pain, fractures, kidney stones and calcium deposits around the joints. The excess calcium is often due to the body's inability to utilize it.
Of utmost importance, in this instance, is that the origin of excess calcium be found. Common causes may include hormonal imbalance or vitamin A and D excess. Decreased gravity stress (discussed below), a common problem, and a rare genetic factor are other possibilities. More life-threatening causes include kidney disease and malignancy. Certain drugs, such as lithium, can also adversely affect calcium regulation.
The body will protect itself from getting too much dietary calcium by absorbing lower amounts if high levels are consumed. Therefore, taking high doses of calcium supplements can result in a smaller percentage of absorption. (Likewise, taking a lower dose calcium supplement can often result in more absorption.) Moreover, most people can get all the calcium they need from a healthy, properly digested and efficiently absorbed diet. Because of stress and the nutritional habits found in our society, however, it's questionable whether most people can actually accomplish this.
Blood tests won't reflect mild calcium imbalances because this calcium is usually kept within a specific "normal" range. The body will maintain this blood level by taking calcium from bones or muscles. Low levels in the blood often indicate more serious problems. More subtle imbalances may be diagnosed, in part, by measuring the calcium levels in the urine.
Gravity And Calcium
Perhaps the most important aspect of calcium use is gravity. The lack of gravity can result in a loss of muscle and bone calcium. Here on Earth, there is an easy way to remedy this: exercise. Easy, low-level, aerobic exercise may solve most people's calcium problems than all other factors combined. But this exercise must be gravity related: stationary bikes and swimming, for example, are much less effective than walking, running or aerobic dance. This is best exemplified in astronauts on long space flights. Because of the lack of gravity, they have massive losses of bone calcium. This is the single reason why a human cannot travel to Mars and return safely.
Immobilization can also have its problems. Unfortunately, being confined to bed or a wheelchair because of illness or other incapacitation can result in serious disturbances in calcium usage.
We have profound control over our calcium utilization. By implementing the suggestions outlined here, we can make calcium more available in our body.
Calcium and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases
In this "Bridging the Gap" we examine an article from Medical Hypothesis (1991, 31, 265-273). Could certain chronic diseases, such as hypertension, osteoporosis, hyperlipidemia (high blood fat) and colon cancer, be related to something so simple as a calcium deficient diet? There is a growing body of evidence, say the authors, that this is not only plausible but probable.
Evidence suggests that primitive humans had a diet that consisted of roughly 2,000 mg. of calcium daily. Given the fact that dietary calcium absorption is not very efficient, only about 15 to 35% of dietary calcium is actually absorbed. It is reasonable to assume that if the body was getting plenty of calcium in the diet, then it didn't need to absorb as much. As a result, humans adapted to this abundance over hundreds of thousands of years. Now we are less fortunate because our "modern diet" contains much less calcium yet our percent absorption is still low, providing us with even less calcium.
Fortunately, our bones store large amounts of calcium. And when we need calcium in other places, our body takes it from the bones. When we are unable to obtain enough calcium from dietary sources, and we use too much from our bones, we start losing calcium from other areas-such as the cells. This is a critical area for calcium to be lost. It helps regulate the metabolism of the cell, whether it's a cell from the heart, kidney or any other vital body part. Once this regulation is adversely affected, a chronic disease process can begin.
Add to this scenario the fact that we all have some inherited and acquired weaknesses. This is where symptoms will tend to appear. For example, in one individual an inherited weakness combined with a calcium problem could cause a tightening of the muscles in the walls of the arteries and produce high blood pressure. In another it could cause bone loss, as in osteoporosis.
Due to the adaptive changes and tight controls by which our body regulates calcium, a blood test is not a very good indicator of calcium deficiency. The body will sacrifice almost any other part at the expense of maintaining a normal blood level.
The authors of this journal article show that calcium may be a contributing factor in chronic illness. (Others include cigarette smoking, chronic nutritional deficiencies, an inactive lifestyle and stress.) It's not recommended that everyone take large amounts of calcium. That could also be dangerous. Rather, focus on factors which improve calcium intake and utilization. As discussed in other areas of this book, they include:
… quality of the diet (less processed food with some good fats)
… effective absorption (stress inhibits calcium absorption, as do antacids)
… proper utilization once inside the body (exercise helps most).
Vitamin D, Calcium and the Sun
Vitamin D, the "sunshine vitamin," is easily absorbed while we are sitting in the summer sun. Unfortunately, this may leave you calcium deficient. Here's how it works: The increase of vitamin D from the sun causes a concomitant increase in blood calcium. Your body takes that calcium from other places, such as bones, muscles, and skin, leaving these areas lower in calcium.
Fortunately, the body usually reverses this, returning the calcium to those areas where it was lost. This is accomplished by certain fat derivatives (called prostaglandins), which help carry calcium back into the bones, muscles, and skin. The best source of these fatty acids are in your diet: unrefined vegetable oil, butter, freshly shelled nuts and seeds, and egg yolks.
When calcium is not returned, symptoms of fatigue, achiness, and dry itchy skin may appear.
So enjoy the summer sun in moderation, as long as your body is prepared for it.