Calcium. Is it important? You bet. Doctors tell us so. The media tells us so. Commercials on TV tell us so. Everyone seems to say you need your calcium. The big problem with all of this, is no one says what is the best type of calcium to consume. Is it calcium from milk? Or calcium from antacids? How about chewing on a bone? All of these things will give you calcium. The question is, is that calcium getting down to the appropriate cellular level so it can be utilized for the purpose intended? Addressing this issue involves the concept of BIOLOGICAL UTILIZATION. We will cover that concept here while at the same time clearing up some calcium myths and mis-information propagated by commercial interests and unknowing physicians and nutritionists. --------------------------------------
Next two sections extracted and paraphrased from "Mineral Logic" by Mark Timon, M.S.
First - some statistics:
CALCIUM: Ca - common ion Ca++
The current FDA labeling requirement for calcium uses the 1973 U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) amount of 1000mg per day for ages 4 to adult.
In 1980 the RDA was increased to 1200mg but it was not adopted for nutritional supplement labeling.
The average daily intake for adults not taking nutritional supplements is 600mg per day. The absorption factor for adults is 10% - 30% of that amount.
Calcium is excreted daily through feces (250mg), in sweat (20 -350mg up to 1000mg in hot climates under heavy labor), and in urine (80-250mg).
With daily excretion exceeding daily absorption in many individuals, there are calls in nutritional circles to raise the RDA levels for calcium to 1500mg per day. With the losses that are seen here, even in the best circumstances, it appears that 1200 to 5000mg of calcium must be ingested daily to balance everyday losses.
The importance of calcium cannot be overstated. It is the most abundant positively charged ion (cation) in the human body. The average adult holds 1.2 kilograms of the mineral in his or her fat-free tissues. 99% of calcium is retained in bone tissue while the other 1% circulates in the blood plasma and soft tissues. The hormones calcitonin from the thyroid gland and parathyroid hormone from the parathyroid gland help maintain plasma calcium levels at +-3% throughout the day. Calcitonin causes the deposition of calcium in bone while parathyroid hormone liberates it from the bone.
Calcium absorption, deposition, and utilization is not solely controlled by hormonal factors, however. Dietary intake of phosphorous, exposure to sunlight, protein, fat and sugar intake along with exercise all affect calcium status.
The question of providing adequate calcium nutrition and utilization is made difficult by the control mechanisms of the body. For instance, starvation or calcium deprivation causes uptake to become more efficient! The less you take in, the higher the percentage of absorption. Conversely, the more you take in, especially in a single dose, the smaller the percentage of absorption. Calcium appears to be a supplement then that is less effective if taken in single mega-dose amounts. Total daily absorption might then be enhanced by taking smaller doses spread throughout the day.
The question now becomes, "what is the best form of calcium to take where support of your bones is concerned?"
To answer that question, we are going to turn to the research of Dr. Hans Nieper, M.D. from Germany. He began a most thorough and interesting investigation into calcium and the physiological mineral transport mechanisms in the body. This research which started back in the 1950's led to crucially important discoveries leading to the knowledge of calcium orotate as the singularly best form of calcium for bone health and cartilage support.
Please review the two reports listed here.