Iron : Essential in the Formation of Proteins

Iron

(It is important that we include iron-rich foods in our daily diet, but it is more important to eat foods that promote iron absorption in our body)

Iron is an essential mineral found in every cell of our body. It is the mineral that helps the bone marrow in making hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the protein or molecule found in red blood cells that contains iron. Most of the iron in our body is found in the hemoglobin (an oxygen-carrying protein that transfers oxygen from the lungs to the tissues) of red blood cells and in the myoglobin (a protein that provides oxygen to muscles) of muscle cells. Hemoglobin represents about two-third of our body’s iron. Our body can store a certain amount of extra iron in a red blood cell protein called ferritin. When there's not enough iron in our diet, our body uses the iron stored in ferritin to get what it needs to make hemoglobin. The rest of the iron in our bodies is found in myoglobin. Extra iron is stored in the liver, bone marrow, spleen, and muscles.

Functions of Iron

Iron plays a vital role in many important chemical reactions in our body. For example:

• Iron helps in producing Hemoglobin that helps the red blood cells to deliver oxygen from the lungs to cells all over our body. Once the oxygen is delivered, iron then helps red blood cells carry carbon dioxide waste back to the lungs to be exhaled. 
• Iron is also responsible for transmitting nerve impulses, the signals that coordinate the actions of different parts of our body.
• Iron is also involved in producing Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP), the body's energy source.
• It plays a vital role in proper muscle and organ function, and it fills our bodies with energy.
• It is also necessary for metabolism, growth and development.
• It is also necessary for normal cellular functioning and synthesis of some hormones & connective tissues.

Benefits of Iron

• It improves athletic performance
  
• It helps in maintaining healthy cells, skin, hair, and nails
• It prevents attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
• It also prevents Crohn's disease, depression, fatigue
• It cures the inability to get pregnant
• It maintains our body temperature

RDAs

One’s iron need per day depends on his/her age, gender and overall health. Infants and toddlers need more iron than adults, because their bodies grow quickly. In childhood, boys and girls need the same amount of iron. But in adulthood, Women need more iron than men because they lose blood each month during their menstrual period. After menopause (when the menstrual cycle ends), both men and women need the same amount of iron. 

• Children aged 4 to 8 need 10 milligrams of iron daily, 
  
• Children aged 9 to 13 need 8 milligrams of iron daily,
• Women aged 19 to 50 need 18 mg of iron every day, 
• Pregnant women of all ages need 27 mg of iron every day,
• Men aged 19 to 50 need 8 mg of iron every day,
• Men and women aged 50 above need 8 mg of iron every day.

Food sources

There are two kinds of iron: “heme iron” which is found in red meats, fish and poultry and is better-absorbed than “non-heme iron”, which is found in enriched cereals, leafy veggies and dry fruits. 

• Heme Sources : Pork, Ham, Chicken, Fish, Beef, Liver, and Lamb etc. 
• Non-Heme sources : Artificially fortified foods, like breakfast cereals and grains, Wheat, Millet, Oats, Brown rice, Soybeans, Dried beans and peas, Kidney beans, Lima beans, Spinach, Broccoli, Kale, Collards, Asparagus, raisins, Prunes, Apricots, Almonds, Brazil nuts etc.

Supplements

Iron supplements are often recommended for infants and toddlers, teenage girls and women who are pregnant or of childbearing age. There are many forms of iron products such as ferrous sulfate, ferrous gluconate, ferrous fumarate, and others. Because of its higher solubility, ferrous iron in dietary supplements is more bioavailable. Multivitamin/mineral supplements with iron, especially those designed for women, typically provide 18 mg iron (100% of the DV). Multivitamin/mineral supplements for men or seniors frequently contain less or no iron. Taking 18 mg or less a day of iron supplements is unlikely to cause any harm. 

Overage

Stomach Upset

It is difficult in adulthood that overdose of iron occurs just from food and supplements, because an adult body has systems in place to regulate the amount of iron it absorbs. Most people only absorb about 10 percent of the iron they consume. In general, when people take iron more than the recommended dose, they usually have stomach upset such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dark stools, or constipation. Pregnant women are especially susceptible to constipation. Adding extra fiber to her diet can get relieve from this problem. 

Deficiency

We typically lose only small amounts of iron in urine, feces, the gastrointestinal tract, and skin. Our body also stores some iron to replace any that is lost. But, If we don't have enough iron, our body can't make enough healthy oxygen-carrying red blood cells. When we are not getting sufficient oxygen, we feel fatigued. This exhaustion can affect everything i.e. from our brain function to our immune system. 

• Insufficient iron intakes during pregnancy increase a woman’s risk of iron deficiency anemia (IDA) i.e. a stage of lack of red blood cells.
• In case of a pregnant woman, severe iron deficiency may increase her baby's risk of being born too early or smaller than normal, low birth weight, premature birth, low iron stores, and impaired cognitive and behavioral development.

Symptoms of iron deficiency : 

• People looks pale or sallow
• People feel fatigued or have difficulty in exercising
• People suffering from headache, irritability, dizziness, or weight loss
• People feel short of breath
• People who have a fast heartbeat
• People who have cold hands and feet
• People who have brittle and spoon shaped nails or hair loss
• People who have sores at the corner of the mouth
• People who have a sore tongue
• Severe iron deficiency can also cause difficulty in swallowing

Who needs more iron?

1. Vegetarian people need more iron, because our body doesn't absorb iron from plants as well as it absorbs the iron from meat.
   
2. Infants especially those born preterm or with low birth weight or whose mothers have iron deficiency.
3. Pregnant & breastfeeding women and women of reproductive age who have heavy bleeding during menstruation.
4. People who have kidney failure or treating with dialysis (dialysis removes iron from the body).
5. People who have an ulcer (ulcer can cause blood loss).
6. People who have a gastrointestinal disorder that prevents his/her body from absorbing iron normally.
7. People who took too many antacids (Antacids prevents one’s body from absorbing iron)
8. People who have gone through a surgery or frequently donate blood.
9. People who work out a lot because intense exercise may destroy our red blood cells.
10. Iron-deficiency anemia becomes more prevalent with aging so elder most people need it.

What studies revealed?

• Some studies show that people with high intake of iron, especially from food sources such as red meat, are more likely to have heart disease. This may be especially true for people with type 2 diabetes.
• A research published earlier revealed that high iron levels may cause damage to muscle tissue, thereby decreasing the body’s ability to move glucose from the blood into cells and also interfering with insulin production.
• A 2014 study published in the Annals of Medical & Health Sciences Research found that iron deficiency was increasingly associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
• According to the World Health Organization (WHO), iron deficiency is the number one nutritional disorder in the world. Up to 80% of the world's population may be iron deficient, and 30% may have iron deficiency anemia. 

Suggestion from the Author

• People who are anemic and taking iron supplements or who started with iron supplements but found an upset stomach, they can start with a low dose of iron and then gradually increasing the dose to the daily recommended amount. It may help you people in minimizing the side effects. 
• If there is too many side effects, then Iron can be taken with food but Iron should be taken on an empty stomach if there is no side effects. Try to avoid taking it with foods containing dairy products, coffee, tea, or cereals. 
• Always add vitamin C to the diet to absorb iron more effectively. Foods rich in vitamin C for example citrus, strawberries, tomatoes, and potatoes also increase iron absorption. 
• If we mix some lean meat, fish, or poultry with beans or dark leafy green vegetables in a meal, then we can improve our absorption of vegetable sources of iron up to three times. 
• We must cook our foods in a cast-iron pot in order to increase the amount of iron intake.
• Feed your babies with iron-rich foods, when they move to solid foods as children who drink large quantities of milk and avoid other foods may develop "milk anemia."
• Do not take iron supplements and calcium supplements or antacids at the same time. It is best to space doses of these 2 products 1 to 2 hours apart, to get the full benefit from each medicine or dietary supplement. 

Phosphorus : Helps in Forming Bone Mineral Density

Phosphorus

(An important compound responsible for synthesizing the major macro-nutrients from our food i.e. proteins, fats and carbohydrates)

Overview

Phosphorus is the most plentiful mineral found in our body after calcium. It makes up about 0.5 percent of an infant’s body weight and 1 percent of an adult body weight. About 85% of our body's phosphorus is found in bones and teeth, 14% in soft tissues and the remaining 1% in body fluids. It is also present in smaller amounts in our cells and tissues throughout the body. Phosphorus is the source of phosphate (Phosphorus+Oxygen) in our body. Phosphate present within our body, is a type of salt that is made up of phosphoric acid. Phosphorus is also makes up part of the phospholipids that surround cells. Phospholipids help protect and regulate what goes in and out of each cell.

Functions

Along with Calcium, Phosphorus builds strong bones and teeth in our body as the two minerals work closely together. Other functions of Phosphorus are:

• It plays an important role in the absorption of carbohydrates and fats in our body. It helps our body in storing and using energy by producing adenosine triphosphate (ATP). 
• It also helps in protein formation.
• It is required for the growth, maintenance and repair of all cells and tissues.
• It is required for the production of our genetic building blocks i.e. DNA and RNA. 
• It is needed to use other vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B, D, iodine, magnesium, and zinc.
• It improves digestion by stimulating the digestion of riboflavin and niacin in an efficient way.

  

  Functions

• It aid in hormonal balance and optimized chemical reactions.
• It helps in filtering out waste materials in the kidneys.
• It helps in reducing muscle pain after a workout.
• It acts as an electrolyte within our body that maintains heart beat rhythms and balancing the body’s fluid levels.
• It helps in proper brain function and cognitive growth and development. It helps in Nerve signaling.
• It improves sexual weakness like loss of libido, frigidity, impotence and sperm motility.

RDAs

Phosphorus in the form of phosphate is absorbed well in our small intestine compared to other minerals for example calcium, iron and magnesium. Due to this effective absorption, healthy people generally don’t have phosphorus deficiency. Older women most likely to experience phosphorus deficiency if they are on a high dose calcium supplements. Recommended dietary allowance for phosphorus is given below

• Infants 0 to 6 months : 100 mg/day
• 7 to 12 months : 275 mg/day
• Children 1 to 3 years : 460 mg/day
• 4 to 8 years : 500 mg/day
• Adolescents 9 to 18 years : 1,250 mg/day
• Adults : 700 mg/day
• Pregnant or lactating women below 18 : 1,250 mg/day
• Older than 18 : 700 mg/day

Food Sources

Phosphorus is found in almost all animal and vegetable foods and is often found in foods that contain calcium. The good better and best sources of Phosphorus are given below.

1. Protein-rich foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, nuts, and legumes are best sources of Phosphorus.
2. Other good sources are whole grains, rice, white bread, dry fruits, garlic cloves, sunflower seeds, and carbonated beverages.
3. Fruits, vegetables and water contain only small amounts of phosphorus but hard potatoes, broccoli and peas are a good source.
4. It is also synthetically added to many packaged foods, used in baking powder and processed food products like meat-marinating ingredients, ice cream, bread and rolls, processed cheeses etc.

Deficiency

Health conditions like diabetes, starvation, and alcoholism can drop the levels of phosphorus in our body. Some medications including some antacids and diuretics i.e. water pills can drop the phosphorus levels.

Symptoms of phosphorus deficiency

1. With phosphorus deficiency, fragile or broken bone, bone fractures, bone pain, joint pain/stiff joints, muscle ache, loss of appetite, anxiety, trouble exercising, fatigue, irregular breathing, irritability, numbness, weakness, tooth decay, and weight change occur in adults. 
2. In children, trouble concentration, decreased growth and poor bone & tooth development may occur.

Supplements

Phosphates are sometimes used as laxatives in severe constipation known as ‘enema’. People generally take Phosphorus Supplements who are suffering from: 

1. Hypophosphatemia i.e. low levels of phosphorus in the body, 
2. Hypercalcemia i.e. high blood calcium levels, and 
3. Calcium-based kidney stones.

Phosphorus For Athletes

It is seen that athletes use phosphate supplements before competitions or heavy workouts to help in reducing muscle pain and fatigue.

Overages

Too much phosphorus in human body is common. But it is not a problem because our kidney easily control the blood phosphorus level and efficiently excrete any excess amount through urine. It rises only in case of kidney disease or by consuming too much dietary phosphorus and not enough dietary calcium. 

• Very high doses of phosphorus can impair synthesis of vitamin D and disrupt calcium absorption.
• Excessively high levels of phosphorus in the blood can combine with calcium to form deposits in soft tissues such as muscle. But it is rare.
• Too much phosphorus can also be toxic. It can cause diarrhea and can interfere with the body's ability to use iron, calcium, magnesium, and zinc.

Scientific Studies

• Several studies suggest that higher intakes of phosphorus are associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Studies have linked a phosphorus deficiency to an increased risk of cognitive malfunction, and the early onset of neurological conditions like Alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
• A recent study of phosphorous suggest that it maintains heart health and free from a range of cardiovascular diseases.
• A study published by the Society of Nephrology revealed that there is a link between high phosphorus levels and coronary artery calcification (CAC) in healthy adults.

Suggestion from the Author

When the amount of phosphorus rises in our body, the need for calcium also rises. So, when this happens, our body can use calcium stored in bones. This can cause osteoporosis or brittle bones and lead to gum and teeth problems. A balance of dietary calcium and phosphorus can lower the risk of osteoporosis and develop proper bone density. 

• So always prefer protein rich and calcium rich foods in order to get balanced calcium and phosphorus. 
• One can take Vitamin D supplements as it can improve phosphorus absorption. 
• If one go for phosphorus supplement, then he/she can take any of the multivitamins & minerals tablets. That will fill his/her nutritional gap.

Magnesium : Contributes to the Structural Development of Bone

Magnesium

(Magnesium is one of the seven essential macro minerals which one need to be consumed in relatively large amounts)

Magnesium, known as the mineral of insulin sensitivity, found abundantly in our body. It is the second most prevalent electrolyte in the human body. Most of the magnesium in the body is found in the bones and inside the cells. An adult body contains approximately 25 g magnesium, with 50 to 60 percent present in the bones and most of the rest in soft tissues. Only a tiny amount of magnesium is normally present in the blood i.e. less than 1% of total magnesium. It is crucial for normal functioning of our body. One can find out his/her magnesium status in his/her body as urinary excretion is reduced when magnesium and other electrolyte status is low.

What role plays Magnesium in our body?

• It plays a role in balancing blood concentrations of vitamin D, which is a major regulator of bone homeostasis.

  

  Functions

• It play a role in the transport of calcium and potassium ions across cell membranes, a process that is important to nerve impulse conduction, muscle contraction, and normal heart rhythm.
• It also helps our body in moving other electrolytes i.e. potassium and sodium into and out of cells.
• It is used in energy production, oxidative phosphorylation, and glycolysis in our body. 
• It plays a role in synthesisizing our DNA, RNA, and the antioxidant glutathione. 
• It helps keep our heart rhythm steady. It works with calcium to regulate our blood pressure and prevent hyper-tension.
• It is used as an important electrolyte in human body.
• It supports enzyme function. In fact, it is a co-factor in more than 300 enzyme systems that regulate diverse biochemical reactions in the body.

Benefits from Magnesium

• There are certain hormones regulated by magnesium who are responsible for calming our brain and promoting relaxation, for example Magnesium helps in producing happy hormones like ‘serotonin’. 
• Without adequate amount of magnesium, one can also suffer from sleeplessness or insomnia. It calms the central nervous system, lowers the heart rate and enables restful sleep.
• In our body, Magnesium is involved in neurotransmitter function and blood circulation. It helps in controlling migraine headache pain by releasing pain-reducing hormones and by reducing constriction of the blood vessels that raises blood pressure.

Natural food sources

Magnesium is naturally present in many foods. As it can be lost during refinement and processing, eating whole foods is always best. One can take these foods as a source of magnesium. They are Almonds, Cashews, Peanuts, Cereal, shredded wheat, Peanut butter, whole wheat Bread, cooked brown Rice and white Rice, Breakfast cereals, Oatmeal, Kidney beans, Raisins, Soymilk, Milk, plain yogurt, Black beans, peas, soybeans, Edamame, Avocado, Spinach, Broccoli, Apple, Banana, Raw Carrot, Potato baked with skin, cooked Halibut, Salmon fish, Chicken breast and Ground Beef. In general, foods containing dietary fiber provide magnesium.

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

It includes the magnesium one get from both the food he/she eats and any supplements he/she takes.

Children

1-3 years : 80 mg/day

4-8 years : 130 mg/day

9-13 years : 240 mg/day

Females

14-18 years : 360 mg/day

19-30 years : 310 mg/day

31 years and over : 320 mg/day

Pregnant

Under 19 years: 400 mg/day

19 to 30 years: 350 mg/day

31 years and up: 360 mg/day

Breastfeeding

Under 19 years: 360 mg/day

19 to 30 years: 310 mg/day

31 years and up: 320 mg/day

Males

14-18 years : 410 mg/day

19-30 years : 400 mg/day

31 years and up : 420 mg/day

Overdose of Magnesium

• Excess Magnesium supplements can cause nausea, cramps, and diarrhea, low blood pressure, muscle weakness, and fatigue. At very high doses, magnesium can be fatal. Usually this happens when someone goes over a 600 milligrams dose of magnesium.
• Magnesium supplements may not be safe for people who take diuretics, heart medicines, or antibiotics or People with diabetes, intestinal disease, heart disease or kidney disease should not take magnesium.
• Excessive use of magnesium supplements can be toxic. The highest dose one can take is: 65 mg/day for children ages 1-3, 110 mg/day for children ages 4-8 and 350 mg/day for adults and children ages 9 and up.

Deficiency

Magnesium deficiency in healthy people is uncommon because the kidneys limit urinary excretion of this mineral. So, severe magnesium deficiencies are rare to be seen. They're more likely in older adults, in people who abuse alcohol, have kidney disease, Crohn's disease or other conditions that affect digestion, parathyroid problems and who take antibiotics or drugs for type 2 diabetes and cancer. 

Signs of Deficiency i.e. objective evidence of disease

Early signs of magnesium deficiency are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, and weakness. In medium stage of deficiency numbness, tingling, muscle contractions and cramps, seizures, personality changes, abnormal heart rhythms, and coronary spasms can occur. In advanced stage of deficiency, hypokalemia i.e. low serum calcium or potassium levels respectively developed as mineral homeostasis is disrupted. 

Symptoms of Deficiency i.e. subjective evidence of disease

These symptoms are generally seen in case of magnesium deficiency:-

• It’s deficiency leads to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
• It’s deficiency leads to kidney and liver damage.
• It’s deficiency leads to restless leg syndrome, worsened PMS symptoms, behavioral disorders and mood swings, migraine headaches, insomnia and trouble sleeping.
• It’s deficiency leads to osteoporosis, tooth cavities, impotence and muscle weakness and cramps.
• It’s deficiency leads to recurrent bacterial/fungal infections due to low levels of nitric oxide or a low immune system.
• It’s deficiency leads to multiple sclerosis, glaucoma/Alzheimer’s disease. 
• It’s deficiency leads to nutrient deficiencies i.e. vitamin K, vitamin B1, calcium and potassium.
• It’s deficiency leads to obesity and appears to be more related to glucose metabolism and cardiovascular health.

Supplements

Approximately 30 to 40 percent of the dietary magnesium consumed is typically absorbed by our body. Hence 80 percent of people being deficient in this vital mineral. So here comes the role of supplements along with magnesium-rich foods. They are available in a variety of forms which are highly absorable, including magnesium Glycinate, Threonate, Chelate, Citrate, and Chloride. Magnesium helps in neutralizing stomach acid and moving stool through the intestines. Thus supplementation helps in softening the stool. It helps our digestive tract and the intestinal wall muscles in relaxing. Thus, it clears the constipation at the same time it improves digestion. Magnesium supplements should be taken daily, with food.

Why we need supplements?

• Now-a-days soil depletion lowers the amount of magnesium present in crops.
• Digestive disorders lead to less adsorption of magnesium in the gut.
• Human body loses stores of magnesium every day from normal functions such as muscle movement, heartbeat and hormone production.

Role of Magnesium in the life of Athletes

• Magnesium activates adenosine triphosphate, also known as ATP in human body, as a result energy creates in our body. Without sufficient magnesium, one don’t have the energy he/she needs to do exercises and can suffer from fatigue more easily. Then the athlete tires more quickly and must need a higher level of oxygen during exercise. 

  

  Improves Performance

• Magnesium also helps our muscles to relax and contract. Thus enables us to move around. Without sufficient magnesium, our muscles go into spasms. Due to severe muscle spasms, a heart attack can occur. So a proper balance of magnesium is required for athletes along with other minerals like calcium.
• Magnesium helps the enzymes that are responsible for enabling muscle protein synthesis. Sufficient amount of magnesium accelerates recovery processes after work out and aid sleep. It also allows for the metabolism of cortisol after hardcore workouts by reducing nervous system activation. 
• Magnesium helps human body metabolize carbs, while influencing the activity of hormones that control blood glucose levels. Magnesium creates a metabolic environment that will help us get superior muscle development and a leaner body composition in less time. It also fights inflammation, raises antioxidant levels, and helps replenish energy stores in the muscle.
• Magnesium is necessary for the explosive movements. A 2012 study of elite runners found that it was magnesium, not sodium or potassium, that was the electrolyte most depleted during the race. The low magnesium stores resulted in significant inflammation for the runners.

What studies revealed?

• One research shows that eating foods high in magnesium and other minerals can help in preventing high blood pressure in people.
• Several studies show that when sufferers of migraines supplemented with magnesium, their symptoms improve.
• One study from the National Institute of Health and Nutrition in Tokyo shows that low magnesium intake was associated with significant increases in the prevalence of constipation. 
• Another study also found that elderly people, who were experiencing constipation and took magnesium supplements, were more efficient at reducing constipation than the use of bulk-laxatives.
• One study found that very high doses of zinc from supplements i.e. 142 mg per day can interfere with magnesium absorption and disrupt the magnesium balance in the body.
• A study published in the Journal of Research in Medical Science in 2012 concluded that magnesium supplementation is low-risk and effective for lowering insomnia symptoms; improves sleep efficiency, sleep time and sleep onset; plus it aids in early morning awakening and lowers concentrations of cortisol. 
• Research shows that women suffering from osteoporosis can reverse by increasing their magnesium consumption. According to several studies, a higher magnesium intake correlates with increased bone mineral density in both men and women. 
• Small studies have found that magnesium in the aspartate, citrate, lactate, and chloride forms is absorbed more completely and is more bio available than magnesium oxide and magnesium sulfate.

Calcium is needed at Every Stage of Life

Calcium

(There are more calcium found in the human body than any other mineral)

Calcium along with other minerals is a basic necessity for good health. In fact, it is the most plentiful mineral found in the human body. About 99% of the calcium in our body found in our bones and teeth, where it supports their structure and hardness. Nerve cells, body tissues, blood and other body fluids contain the rest of the calcium. Our body cannot produce calcium whereas we lose calcium through our skin, nails, hair, sweat, urine and feces everyday. So, it is important to get enough calcium from the food we eat. When we don’t get enough calcium for our body’s requirements, it is taken from our bones that leads to bone loss, low bone density and even broken bones.

Why do we need calcium supplements?

• Calcium Content of  Vegetarian Dishes are very low. 
• Present day foods don’t contain adequate amount of nutrients.
• Inadequate exposure to sunlight reduces production of Vitamin D3 in our body.
• The human body is incapable of absorbing complete Calcium from our food.
• Hectic work schedules and long indoor lifestyles force us to eat fast food and not expose ourselves to sunlight, leading to both Calcium and Vitamin D3 deficiency.

What role calcium plays in our body?

Functions of Calcium

Our body needs calcium to maintain strong bones as bones are always breaking down and rebuilding. 

• Our body also needs calcium for nerves to carry messages between the brain and every part of the body.
• Calcium is used to help blood vessels move blood throughout the body and to help release hormones that affect almost every function and enzymes for healthy digestion in the human body.
• It helps in Keeping a normal heartbeat and in Squeezing and relaxing muscles to move.
• A proper level of calcium in the body over a lifetime can help prevent osteoporosis (a disease of the bones in older adults especially women in which the bones become porous, fragile, and more prone to fracture). 

Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA)

The average daily level of intake is enough to meet the nutrient needs of nearly all healthy people. In general, up to 2,500 to 3,000 mg a day of calcium from dietary sources and supplements appears to be safe for children and adolescents, and 2,000 to 2,500 mg a day appears to be safe for adults.

Infants (AI)

0 to 6 months: 200 milligrams per day (mg/day)

7 to 12 months: 260 mg/day

Children and Adolescents 

Age 1 to 3: 700 mg/day

Age 4 to 8: 1,000 mg/day

Age 9 to 18: 1,300 mg/day

Adults 

Age 19 to 50: 1,000 mg/day

Age 50 to 70: Men - 1,000 mg/day; Women - 1,200 mg/day

Over age 71: 1,200 mg/day

Pregnancy and breast-feeding 

Age 14 to 18: 1,300 mg/day

Age 19 to 50: 1,000 mg/day

From which sources we can get calcium?

Calcium is found in many foods. We can get required amounts of calcium by eating a variety of foods. 

• Milk, yogurt, and cheese are the main food sources of calcium.

  

  Calcium Rich Foods

• Kale, broccoli, and Chinese cabbage are fine vegetable sources of calcium.
• Fish with soft bones are fine animal sources of calcium for example Salmon.
• Calcium is also found in cereals, fruit juices, soy and rice beverages, and tofu.
• Almonds, Brazil nuts, sunflower seeds and dried beans are also other sources of calcium.
• We can add foods such as orange juice, soy milk, tofu, ready-to-eat cereals, and breads to our normal food to get calcium.
• Certain green vegetables and other foods contain calcium in smaller amounts. 
• Note : Leafy greens are not considered an adequate source of calcium by themselves, because our body is unable to utilize much of the calcium they contain.

The way we can preserve/add calcium in our food 

• We must cook foods in a little amount of water for the shortest possible time to retain more calcium in the foods we prepare i.e. steaming to cook instead of boiling foods.
• Certain fibers for example wheat bran and foods with oxalic acid for example spinach and rhubarb can bind with calcium and prevent it from being absorbed. So we must eat them separately.
• We must add most grains like breads, pastas, and unfortified cereals. Though they are not rich in calcium, but they add significant amounts of calcium to the diet because we eat them in sizable amount.
• A simple way to add calcium to many foods is to add a single tablespoon of nonfat powdered milk, which contains about 50 mg of calcium. About two-to-four tablespoons can be added to most recipes.

What if one is deficient in calcium?

We can feel the shortage of calcium in our body only in the long run because, the body maintains calcium levels in the blood by taking it from bone. Insufficient intakes of calcium do not produce obvious symptoms in the short term.

Calcium Deficiency

• Over the long term, intakes of calcium below recommended levels resulted in low bone mass (osteopenia) and increasing the risks of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
• Women who get less than about 900 mg of calcium per day, a serious medical condition named Preeclampsia developed, where she develops high blood pressure and kidney problems that cause protein to spill into the urine. It is a leading cause of sickness and death in pregnant women and their newborn babies. 
• Serious calcium deficiency resulted in numbness and tingling in the fingers, convulsions, and abnormal heart rhythms that can lead to death if not corrected. 
• Normally, people who are deficient in calcium, they feel lower back pain, body aches, muscle spasms, tingling in hands and feet, morning stiffness, joint pain, numbness, memory loss and depression. 

What condition develops with more intake of calcium?

• Getting too much calcium can cause constipation.
• It might also interfere with the body's ability to absorb iron and zinc.

What studies revealed?

• A 2010 study carried out in North Carolina State University found that adequate calcium early in life may protect against obesity later on.
• Researchers from McGill University in Canada reported in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism that women whose diets are rich in calcium live longer than their counterparts whose diets are low in calcium.
• Some studies have found that getting recommended intakes of calcium can reduce the risk of developing high blood pressure (hypertension). 
• Several studies have shown that getting more calcium helps in lowering body weight or reduce weight gain over time.
• Some studies have found that higher intakes of calcium from dietary supplements are linked to a greater risk of kidney stones, especially among older adults.
• Some studies show that people who consume high amounts of calcium might have increased risks of prostate cancer and heart disease.

Note : Though we may take sufficient calcium, our body can not absorb them without Vitamin D which plays an important role in protecting our bones. Please refer my other article on vitamin D to know how it aids in calcium absorption in our body.