We can benefit from eating calcium rich foods, getting enough magnesium and vitamins D to help calcium do its job, but also remember Magnesium helps your body absorb and retain calcium.
Both men and women not getting enough calcium in their diet can have problems. Bones become critically thin, osteoporosis develops, and serious fractures that can occur spontaneously or after a fall.
Calcium is important for optimal bone health throughout your life and healthy teeth. Your body needs needs it to build and maintain strong bones, muscles and nerves also need calcium to function properly. Your heart, your muscles contract, and regulate the heart’s rhythm, among other things need calcium.
Plus, not getting enough calcium in your diet can contribute to anxiety, depression, and sleep difficulties.
If you don’t, or can’t, eat calcium enriched foods, if your diet falls short, you may have to look at taking a Calcium supplement.
To absorb calcium, your body also needs vitamin D so make sure that D is part of your supplement intact.
I’ve read that most healthy men don’t need to take calcium supplements. My husband is a pretty healthy guy having spent a great deal of his life physically fit working as a landscape contractor, but when he was having trouble with his knuckles, joint pain, calcium supplements helped him. He was skeptical about taking a supplement but takes calcium and vitamin D every day now. With a little coaxing over time he is taking a few others now too and barely even grumbles 🙂
The amount of calcium we should take varies on articles I have read. Most say over 50 we should take 1,200 mg of calcium a day if you are not getting calcium through natural sources such as milk, yogurt, and other sources.
Though both my husband and I do take calcium, please get your doctors advise that you get as much of your daily calcium needs from foods before you take a supplement.
Even taking calcium with magnesium, vitamin D, and calcium enriched foods, exercise if incredibly important to help your bones and muscles.
I am not a doctor, but I believe in supplements as they help me and my health.
You can read more about calcium supplements at the Mayo Clinic site here.
