Peter Wilansky-Traynor CHNP, PTS
As the population ages, the importance of healthy bones has become a growing concern. With that concern, comes the question of calcium supplements.
Our bones do much more than most of us realize. Of course, the skeleton serves as the infrastructure to our bodies - keeping us upright, and giving our muscles and other soft tissues something to attach to - allowing us to stand, sit, and move around. The skull, ribcage, spine and pelvis also provide protection for our vital organs. In addition to these obvious structural roles, bones have important functions in our body chemistry: Blood cells are produced in the marrow of the bones; long bones store fat that can be used as energy. Bones also store vital minerals required for proper function of nerves and muscles (such as calcium and phosphorus). The correct level of these nutrients is needed for healthy cells. While low levels of calcium in the blood can cause muscle spasms and leaching of calcium from the bones, too much calcium can slow neuromuscular activity, cause lethargy and in extreme cases - heart failure.
Although everyone needs to ingest the nutrients needed for strong, healthy bones, therapeutic doses of calcium can actually worsen some health conditions.
The need for supplementation depends on each person’s health condition, and biochemical individuality. In my nutrition practice, I use Metabolic Typing as a tool to help determine an individual’s needs. Certain “Metabolic Types” naturally require higher amounts of calcium in their diet; while others do well on diets lower in calcium but higher in the synergistic nutrients required for absorption and use of calcium by the body.
So before you stock up on Calcium supplements, make sure that is really what your body requires.