Solgar Calcium Supplement
It should come as no surprise that Calcium is an essential mineral found in large quantities in the human body. In fact, nearly ninety-nine percent of the body’s total calcium is located in the bones and teeth. The remaining one percent? Located in the blood. To that end, you can see that calcium plays a big role when it comes to the function of muscles, circulation and nerves. And although we get calcium from many different sources, if the calcium levels in the blood drop below a certain level, calcium will be drawn from our bones and put into the blood in order for proper levels to be restored. That alone is reason enough to intake the proper amount of calcium every day in to maintain the correct blood and bone calcium levels.
Depending on an individual’s age and gender, the daily calcium intake for adults is between 1000 – 1300 milligrams. Of that amount, nearly 300 mg can be accounted for with one serving of a dairy product. For example milk or cheese. But many men and women do not consume enough calcium-rich food sources throughout the day, and as a result, may need to rely on calcium supplements like Solgar calcium in order to meet their daily requirement.
Doses
To avoid calcium toxicity it is recommended that you do not take more than 2,500 milligrams of Solgar calcium per day. High calcium intakes can lead to constipation, an increased chance for developing calcium kidney stones, and may inhibit the absorption of iron and zinc from food.
Solgar Calcium is best absorbed in an acidic environment, hence calcium citrate is the best absorbed supplemental form of calcium. It does not require extra stomach acid for absorption; hence we may take it anytime in a day, even on an empty stomach.
Who Needs it Most
The daily stress and pressure that we all go through leads to the wear and tear of our body, including the bones. And that leads to calcium depletion which renders our bones weak. But that is something we certainly can not let happen.
Specific groups of people benefit from Solgar calcium supplements, especially if they cannot get calcium as part of their regular diet. Other groups of people do not benefit from Solgar calcium supplements. In fact, supplementing the diet with calcium supplements may do more harm than good in some cases.
For many, a diet rich in dairy products provides more than enough calcium, and as long as the dairy products contain some fat, as in 1 or 2% milk, the calcium should be readily absorbed. Nonfat milk, also called skim milk, does not contain enough fat to absorb calcium efficiently. Instead, low fat milk is recommended for adults and children over the age of 5.
Women in their late forties to early fifties should, as well, take calcium supplements if they do not get enough calcium in their diets, as this may help delay osteoporosis. Men may also, though rarely, develop osteoporosis late in life, and may benefit from calcium supplements.
In the United States, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) for calcium varies with each group. Adults and teenagers should generally get between 800-1200 mg of calcium each day. Pregnant and breastfeeding women need between 1200-1500 mg of calcium per day. Children from the ages of four to eight should get about 800 milligrams of calcium per day, and children from newborn to three years old should get about 400-800 mg a day.
Pregnant woman, on the other hand might need five glasses of milk a day in order to meet calcium needs. The postmenopausal woman requires about the same. In these cases, calcium supplements may be helpful, since most people don’t consume that much milk on a daily basis.
Having said that, there are a few groups of people who should not take calcium supplements. Those who have high levels of calcium in the blood may be at risk for health issues if they take more calcium. Some people also accumulate calcium in the kidneys or bladder, which can cause stones to form. These people generally need to reduce their calcium intake in order to prevent formation of kidney or bladder stones.