How to better supplement calcium?🐄🐄🐄

Calcium deficiency can cause many physiological problems. Not only does it affect bones and teeth, it also affects multiple organs and systems. Calcium deficiency can also cause cramps, numbness of hands and feet, rough itchy skin, palpitations, insomnia, blurred vision, etc. With the public's attention to health, more and more people realize the importance of calcium supplementation. Therefore, here will explain how to better supplement calcium.

Supplement calcium through diet.

Calcium in food is easier to absorb and utilize than calcium supplements. Therefore, diet is the best source of calcium. Calcium supplementation is not necessary if dietary calcium supplementation can achieve the daily requirement. 

• Milk and various dairy products (such as yogurt, cheese, etc.) have high calcium content and are easy to absorb. They are the most ideal source of calcium. Drinking about 300 ml of milk every day can supplement about 300 mg of calcium. 
• Beans and soy products, including soybeans, lentils, edamame, broad beans, and tofu, are also good calcium-supplementing foods. 100 grams of soybeans contain up to 191 mg of calcium. 100 grams of tofu can contain up to 164 mg of calcium.
• Other foods high in calcium include kelp, seaweed, dried shrimp, various nuts (hazelnuts, peanuts, etc.), sesame paste, peanut butter, etc. However, it is not advisable to eat too much dried shrimp, otherwise it will cause excessive sodium intake.

In addition, egg yolks are rich in vitamin D. It promotes the absorption of calcium. It can be eaten with other high-calcium foods. Sun exposure can also promote calcium absorption.

Differences in calcium supplements.

Calcium supplementation should be based on diet, supplemented by calcium supplements. If you can't get enough calcium from food, you need calcium supplements. Calcium is not the more expensive the better. It needs to be selected reasonably according to your own situation.

Calcium supplements should be high in calcium content, easy to absorb, less irritating to the stomach and cheap. 

Calcium content of various calcium supplements:

Calcium intake is calculated as calcium element. Different types of calcium supplements have different levels of calcium element. The content of calcium element is also a reference indicator for choosing calcium supplements. 

The calcium element content of calcium carbonate is about 40%. The calcium element content of calcium citrate is about 21%. The calcium element content of amino acid chelated calcium is about 20%. The calcium element content of calcium lactate is about 13%. The calcium element content of calcium gluconate is about 10%.

• 1 tablet of calcium carbonate 1500 mg contains 600 mg of calcium element (1500 mg × 40% = 600 mg). The usage is 1 tablet each time, 1 to 2 times daily.
• 1 tablet of calcium citrate 500 mg contains 100 mg of calcium element (500 mg × 20% = 100 mg). The usage is 2 to 4 tablets each time, 3 times a day.
• 1 tablet of calcium gluconate 500 mg contains 50 mg of calcium element (500 mg × 10% = 50 mg). The usage is 4 to 8 tablets each time, 3 times a day.

Absorbability of various calcium supplements.

The absorption rate of various calcium supplements is about 30%. The absorption of calcium is affected by many factors. 

• The absorption of calcium is related to the intake. Excessive intake at one time can affect calcium absorption.
• Calcium carbonate must be dissociated into calcium ions by gastric acid before it can be absorbed by the intestine. Therefore, it is best to take it after a meal. Patients with insufficient gastric acid or taking gastric acid suppressing drugs (such as cimetidine, omeprazole) should choose calcium supplements with good water solubility, such as calcium lactate and calcium gluconate.
• Vitamin D aids in the absorption of calcium . Therefore, calcium supplements containing vitamin D have a higher absorption rate.
• Taking vegetables or fruits containing rich oxalic acid together with calcium supplements will affect the absorption of calcium.

Do calcium supplements have side effects?

Inorganic salt calcium supplements (such as calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate) have high calcium content, but they have poor solubility. They are usually alkaline and require more stomach acid to break down and absorb. Therefore, it is easy to cause gastrointestinal adverse reactions such as bloating, indigestion and constipation.

Organic acid calcium supplements (such as calcium citrate, calcium lactate, and calcium gluconate) have low calcium content, but they have good water solubility and are easily absorbed. They have minimal gastrointestinal reactions. Therefore, patients with poor gastrointestinal function are usually recommended to use organic acid calcium supplements.

How to better supplement calcium?

Time: 

The best time to take is after meals and at night before going to bed. 

• An acidic environment facilitates the absorption of calcium. Food can stimulate gastric acid secretion. It is best to take calcium supplements about 1 hour after meals (even for patients with insufficient gastric acid, taking calcium supplements after meals can achieve normal calcium absorption). It can also reduce the irritation of calcium supplements to the gastrointestinal tract.
• At late night, the blood calcium concentration of the human body is the lowest and the absorption rate of calcium is the highest. Therefore, the calcium supplement at night is taken before going to bed and the absorption effect is better.

Low intensity and high frequency: 

Study found that the absorption rate of calcium in divided doses daily was significantly better than that of once daily (more than 20% higher). Therefore, it is recommended to take 3 to 4 times a day, and the amount of calcium supplementation per time should not exceed 200 mg.

Take it alone:

Calcium supplements are better absorbed when taken alone. It should not be taken at the same time as iron, zinc or multivitamins (which contain minerals such as phosphorus, zinc, iron). They have the potential to affect the absorption of calcium. At the same time, try to avoid taking it with high-calcium foods such as milk and soy products, so as to avoid excessive calcium supplementation at one time and affect calcium absorption.

Take with Vitamin D:

Vitamin D can promotes the absorption of calcium. Foods rich in vitamin D include egg yolk, cod liver oil, animal liver and so on. Human skin contains 7-dehydrocholesterol. It can be converted into vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Therefore, regular sun exposure can promote the absorption of calcium.

Chew and take:

The surface area of calcium supplements increases after being chewed, which facilitates better absorption. Therefore, if it is possible, chew calcium supplements before taking them.

Other.

Patients with diabetes should avoid taking calcium containing sugars (such as calcium gluconate or excipients containing sugars). Coffee, carbonated beverages and alcohol can affect calcium absorption, so it is recommended to drink less or not. Some green vegetables (such as spinach, celery, leeks, cauliflower, spinach, etc.) contain more oxalic acid. It can combine with calcium in food to form water-insoluble calcium oxalate, thereby affecting the absorption of calcium. Therefore, when eating such vegetables, it should be boiled in water to destroy the oxalic acid before cooking.

In addition, calcium supplementation is only used to prevent osteoporosis, not to treat it. If the patient already has osteoporosis, calcium supplementation alone is not enough. It should be under the guidance of a doctor and accept the treatment of anti-osteoporosis drugs.

Read More

Which one is better, milk or yogurt?🐄🐄🐄

Teenagers often drink more milk for physical growth. Milk is rich in nutrients, which is well known. The yogurt is also made from milk, and it can also regulate gastrointestinal digestion. Is yogurt better than milk?

What nutrition does milk contain?

The nutritional content of pure milk is actually very "normal". 

• The protein content of milk is not as good as chicken breast. There are only 3 grams of protein per 100 grams of pure milk, while chicken breast has about 20 grams of protein per 100 grams. 
• The vitamin A content of milk is not as good as that of some animal livers. Each 100 grams of milk contains about 24 micrograms of vitamin A, and the same weight of pig liver contains more than 4000 micrograms. 
• The vitamin C content of milk is not as good as lemon. Every 100 grams of milk contains about 1 mg of vitamin C and lemon contains about 20 mg.
• The potassium content of milk is not as good as that of bananas. Every 100 grams of bananas contains more than 200 mg of potassium, while milk is less than half of it.
• The calcium content of milk is not as good as that of sesame. 

In contrast, milk seems to have very little nutrition. But in fact, the nutrition of milk is very comprehensive. Each 100 grams of milk calories 54 (kcal), carbohydrate 3.4 (g), protein 3 (g), fat 3.2 (g), cholesterol 15 (mg), vitamin A 24 (μg), vitamin C 1 (mg), vitamin E 0.21 (mg), carotene 4.7 (μg), niacin 0.1 (mg),riboflavin 0.73 (mg), thiamine 0.11 (mg), retinol equivalent 2.3 (μg), calcium 104 (mg), iron 0.3 (mg), sodium 37.2 (mg), magnesium 11 (mg), manganese 0.03 (mg), zinc 0.42 (mg), copper 0.02 (mg), potassium 109 (mg), phosphorus 73 (mg), selenium 1.94 (μg). The protein of milk is high-quality protein. It contains all essential amino acids for humans. The calcium content of milk is also sufficient, and the ratio of calcium to phosphorus is also very appropriate. It is one of the best foods for calcium supplementation. Although the vitamin content of milk may not be sufficient, it is quite complete. It also has a variety of trace elements that people need. Moreover, milk is very cheap compared to many nutritious foods.

What nutrition does yogurt contain?

Yogurt is made from fresh milk fermented by lactic acid bacteria. After the milk is fermented into yogurt, the nutrient content will slightly change.

During the fermentation of milk into yogurt, about 20% of the sugar and protein in the milk are broken down into small molecules.

The content of fat in milk is generally 3% to 5%. After fermentation, the fatty acids in yogurt can be increased twice as much as milk, which makes the yogurt easier to digest and absorb. The utilization rate of various nutrients is therefore improved.

In addition to yogurt retains all the nutrients of milk, lactic acid bacteria can also produce more essential vitamins during the fermentation process, such as vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12.

Although the calcium content in milk will not change much after fermentation, the lactic acid produced after fermentation can effectively increase the utilization of calcium and phosphorus in the human. Therefore, the calcium and phosphorus in yogurt are more easily absorbed by the body.

In the process of making yogurt, certain lactic acid bacteria can synthesize vitamin C, which increases the vitamin C in yogurt.

👉Summarize, milk and yogurt can be substituted for each other. Under normal circumstances, you can choose to drink milk or yogurt according to your preferences. But some people need to choose according to their own situation:

Lactose intolerance - drink yogurt

Some people will have symptoms of abdominal discomfort after drinking milk. These people may have lactose intolerance. They cannot absorb the lactose in milk. At this time, lactose enters their intestines, but it cannot be absorbed. Their bodies may have abdominal pain, diarrhea, etc. So for such people, the more suitable dairy product is yogurt.

Hyperlipidemia patients - skimmed milk

Although the taste of skimmed milk may be slightly worse, but it contains lower cholesterol content. Therefore, it is very suitable for patients with hyperlipidemia. If you think the taste of skimmed milk is poor, you can actually choose low-fat milk. However, you need to pay attention to the amount of low-fat milk you drink.

Diabetics - pure milk

If diabetic patients do not have lactose intolerance, they can choose to drink pure milk. Pure milk contains lower carbohydrates. However, if diabetic patients have lactose intolerance, pure milk is not the right choice. At this time, it is recommended to choose yogurt, but the yogurt needs to be sugar-free. Patients should also drink in moderation. 

Elderly - Yogurt

The elderly have poor ability to absorb nutrients, so they should choose yogurt that is easier to absorb. The nutrients in yogurt are easier to be absorbed by the body and the calcium supplement effect is relatively good.

Read More

There are something which harm from your bone health.😖😖😖

Bones are an important part of the human body. They have important functions such as support, movement and protection of internal organs. However, bone health will get worse with age. In addition to the inevitable bone loss with age, there are also some foods which harm from your bone health. 

1. Sugar

Although sugar is an important source of human energy and an essential component of the human body, excessive sugar is the source of many diseases. Excessive intake can directly or indirectly lead to following major problems: obesity, diabetes, cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases and dental caries. In addition, excessive intake of sugar can also harm the bones. 

• When sucrose is metabolized in the body, it needs to consume a variety of minerals and vitamins, calcium is also one of them.
• Excessive sugar intake will directly affect the intake of other nutrients such as vitamins, dietary fiber, protein and minerals. It results in potassium deficiency, vitamin deficiency and calcium deficiency.
• Children who eat too much sweets are also one of the important reasons for the increase in their fracture rate.

In addition to obvious high-sugar foods such as candy, ice cream, and beverages, there are other foods that actually contain high sugars. Such as: yogurt, nutritious oatmeal, biscuits, nuts, potato chips, various sauces such as ketchup, salad dressing.

2. Salt

The main component of salt is sodium chloride which is mainly distributed in the human body in the form of ions. It content a large number and has a various effect in the human body.

When a person consumes too much salt, it will increase the concentration of sodium ions in the body. There is a competitive relationship between sodium ions and calcium ions in the human body. The increase of sodium ions will accelerate the loss of calcium ions. With the increase of urinary calcium excretion, the amount of bone calcium will decrease. It results in bone diseases such as osteoporosis and fractures. If the calcium content in the diet is low and high-salt food is taken, it will cause negative calcium balance and stimulate the parathyroid glands to increase the secretion of calcitonin. It causes bone loss and leading to hypocalcemia. A long-term high-salt diet will not only harm bones, but also cause different diseases such as cardiovascular and kidney diseases.

In addition to cooking with less salt, also pay attention to eating less high-sodium foods such as seasonings (such as soy sauce, chili sauce), processed foods (such as ham, sausage), and preserved foods (such as kimchi).

3. Alcohol

In addition to hurting the stomach and liver, drinking alcohol can also hurt bones. Drinking too much alcohol can increase the body's cortisol level. Cortisol can directly inhibit bone formation and indirectly stimulate bone resorption. It leads to bone loss. In addition, drinking too much alcohol will also cause an imbalance in the body's calcium nutrition metabolism. This will not only affect the absorption of calcium in food, but also make bone calcium be removed and the amount of calcium excretion greatly increased. It results in severe bone calcium deficiency and ultimately osteoporosis. Long-term heavy drinking will also affect the absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus in the intestines. This will reduce bone formation. 

In addition to bone damage, alcohol can also damage the brain, cardiovascular, esophagus, gastrointestinal, liver, prostate and other organs. It can induces diseases of related organs and cause acute and chronic alcoholism and cancer. Therefore, it is better to drink less alcohol.

👉The health of the bones is very important. Poor bone quality will affect people's quality of life, and may even endanger lives. Therefore, we must protect our bones. In addition to supplementing calcium with calcium supplements, you should also pay more attention to your own lifestyle habits.

Read More

Let's learn more detail about the calcium supplementation.😎😎😎

In today's society, more and more people know the importance of calcium supplementation. However, calcium supplementation actually has many confusing points. Calcium supplementation is not solved simply by just taking calcium tablets. This time, let us learn more about the knowledge of calcium supplementation.

Can bone soup supplement calcium?

Although the bones contain a lot of calcium, they do not dissolve out of the soup easily. Studies have shown that when bone soup is boiled in a pressure cooker for two hours, the calcium content in the soup is still very small.

Is soy milk high-calcium food?

The calcium content of soy milk is only about 1/20 of that of soybeans, which is about 25 mg of calcium per 100 grams of soy milk. This value is only 1/5 of milk.

Is liquid calcium easier to absorb?

A large number of studies have shown that the absorption of calcium is not directly related to the form of calcium. There is no significant difference in the absorption rate of solid calcium and liquid calcium.

Only supplement calcium without vitamin D.

Vitamin D can help calcium absorption. Vitamin D is required for calcium to be transported into the human body. Therefore, vitamin D should be supplemented while supplementing calcium.

Calcium can only be supplemented by taking calcium tablets?

Many people only supplement calcium by taking calcium tablets. In fact, dietary calcium supplementation should be the first choice for calcium supplementation. It is better to take food as the main source of calcium supplementation than taking calcium tablets.

Is more and more calcium supplemented better?

Excessive calcium supplementation can easily cause hypercalcemia. It may leads to kidney stones and vascular calcification. Calcium supplementation should also be small amount and frequent. Calcium should not be took too large at a time.

Can calcium supplements cure osteoporosis?

Osteoporosis is one of the manifestations of human aging. Even if the elderly supplemented with a large amount of calcium, the trend of bone loss cannot be reversed. Therefore, calcium supplementation cannot cure osteoporosis, but can only delay the progression of the disease.

The effect of drinking beverages on calcium supplementation.

Most beverages contain phosphate. Phosphate will obstruct the body from absorbing calcium. Therefore, people with calcium supplements should drink less beverages.

Signs of calcium deficiency

Children:

• Difficulty in falling asleep, sweating after falling asleep, easy to wake up, knock knees, bowleg, gray nails, delayed teething, sparse or irregular teeth arrangement, etc.
• Babies can be supplemented with appropriate amount of vitamin D 15 days after birth. 3-11 years old should intake 600-800mg of calcium per day. Calcium can be obtained by consuming 250-500g of milk a day and outdoor activities for more than 1 hour.

Teenager:

• Obvious growth pain, weak legs, easy cramps, easy tiredness, irritability, inattention, anorexia, dysplasia of teeth, tooth decay, decreased immunity, etc.
• Adolescents between 11-18 should consume 1000 mg of calcium per day. It is best to supplement with food and eat more foods with high calcium content such as shellfish and dairy foods. Early calcium supplementation in youth is a good way to prevent middle-aged and elderly osteoporosis.

Pregnant women and middle-aged people:

• Frequent fatigue, sore back, cramps, easy get sick, loose teeth, etc., may be the signs of calcium deficiency, especially in middle-aged women.
• For women after 40-year-old, it is best to have 1 glass of milk in the morning and evening. In the early pregnancy, calcium can be supplemented with rich foods. In the second trimester, calcium supplements can be taken under the guidance of a doctor. Breastfeeding women should take 1200mg of calcium per day which can be divided into two doses.

Elderly:

• Heel pain, waist and neck pain, loose or falling teeth, obvious hunchback, decreased height, decreased appetite, constipation, irritability, insomnia, etc.
• Calcium supplementation for the elderly should also be based on food supplements and calcium tablets should be used carefully and control the amount. The general diet can be supplemented with about 400mg of calcium and an additional 400mg from calcium supplements. Because the gastrointestinal function of the elderly is weak, it is better to choose liquid organic calcium and take it after meals.

Tips of supplement calcium:

High-calcium foods: Nuts, green vegetables, dairy products and soy products are the best sources of calcium in foods. Such as cashew nuts, hazelnuts, spinach, broccoli, milk, tofu, etc.

Sun exposure: Stay outdoors for 20-30 minutes every day with as much exposed area as possible. Do more exercises that strengthen your bones, such as jogging and cycling.

Calcium supplementation at night: Night is the time when the blood concentration is lower and the absorption effect of calcium supplementation will be better at this time. It is generally recommended to take calcium supplements within 1 hour after dinner or about 2 hours before going to bed.

Vitamins supplement: Vitamin D can promote calcium absorption and it can be ingested from foods such as mushrooms and eggs. Vitamin K can activate osteocalcin and promote calcium deposition to the bones. Green vegetables such as broccoli and spinach are rich in vitamin K.

Magnesium supplementation: When calcium is absorbed into the blood, magnesium will transport calcium to the bones until the bones no longer lack calcium. Foods rich in magnesium include seaweed, peanuts and green vegetables.

Eat meat in moderation: Studies have shown that for every extra 50g of protein intake, calcium excretion will increase by 60mg. Therefore, eating too much meat will obstruct the absorption of calcium. It is recommended that the daily meat intake of adults should be 50-75g.

Light diet: Studies have shown that for every 2300mg of sodium (about 6g of salt) excreted by the kidneys, 40-60mg of calcium will be excreted at the same time. Therefore, the intake of salt must be controlled. The intake of coffee, strong tea, etc. should also be controlled.

👉The recommended calcium intake for adults is 800 mg per day. If you need to take calcium supplement once a day, it is recommended to take it before going to bed. If you take it twice a day, the other can be took 1-2 hours after breakfast. This prevents the interaction of food with calcium. Calcium supplement with vitamin D, minerals such as magnesium, potassium, zinc, etc., will be better effect. If you want to drink milk, you can take calcium supplement 0.5-1 hour after drinking. You should get appropriate exposure to the sun and exercise reasonably. 

Read More