Calcium is an essential nutrient critical for bone health, playing a key role in forming and maintaining bone density. Everyone's calcium needs vary based on age, gender, and health conditions. While adults generally require 1000–1300 mg of calcium daily, meeting these needs through diet alone can be challenging.

This begs the question: Is it advisable to consider calcium supplements to bridge the nutritional gap? Explore the factors that influence calcium needs and the potential benefits of supplements to support overall bone health.

Effects of calcium deficiency on the body

When calcium levels are too low, you may experience hypocalcemia. Hypocalcemia can harm health, especially in growing children and adolescents.

Calcium deficiency also has several consequences, including:

• Risk of lack of bone density that may develop into osteoporosis later in life
• A significant decrease in bone density characterizes osteoporosis
• Impaired bone growth results in children and adolescents not achieving optimal height potential
• Increased risk of bone fractures, especially during minor injuries or non-severe falls
• Heart health and blood clotting problems

When should I take calcium supplements?

When your daily calcium intake from food is insufficient, you must take calcium supplements. Lack of calcium from food can cause the body to take calcium from the bones, leading to weak bones and a loss of density.

You should consider taking supplements if:

On a vegan diet

People on a vegan diet often have a lower calcium intake due to not consuming dairy products. You can get calcium from green vegetables, fortified drinks, whole grains, and dried fruit. However, calcium from food alone is sometimes insufficient, so you need to consider calcium intake from supplements.

Lactose intolerance

Lactose-intolerant people usually deliberately limit their consumption of dairy products. This puts them at risk of calcium deficiency, as they have difficulty meeting their calcium needs from food.

They usually require additional calcium intake from supplements. The doctor will help determine the appropriate dosage and type of supplement suitable for consumption.

People with high protein or sodium intake

Consumption of high amounts of protein, especially animal protein, can increase calcium excretion through the urine. The metabolism of these proteins produces acidic substances that the body must neutralize. The body uses calcium from the bones to help with this neutralization. This process decreases bone density when not balanced with adequate calcium intake.

High salt consumption also leads to the excretion of calcium through the urine. This can have a negative impact on health. You should take calcium supplements if you are on a high-protein diet and frequently consume high-salt foods.

People taking long-term corticosteroids

Long-term consumption of corticosteroids can have a negative impact on bone health. Corticosteroids can interfere with calcium metabolism in the body and lead to increased calcium excretion through the urine. This can lead to a decrease in bone density, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.

People with osteoporosis

People with osteoporosis have decreased bone density, so their bones become brittle and break easily. Taking calcium supplements can help strengthen bones and reduce the risk of fractures.

The dose of calcium supplements needed by each person may vary. You must consult a doctor first to get recommendations for the correct calcium dose.

If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.

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