Children are often told they need to drink milk in order for their bones to grow healthy and strong. However, as adults, it’s important to get plenty of calcium, women especially. However, how much calcium should a person take a day?
The Food and Nutrition Board recommends that men and women aged 19 to 50 consume 1,000mg of calcium per day. Women over 51 should get 1,200mg, and men over 71 need to have 1,200mg as well.
When a body is dangerously low in calcium, it can cause the release of the hormone called PTH. PTH will break bone tissue down to balance out the reduced calcium levels in the blood. When a person stays calcium deficient, they are at a higher risk of developing osteoporosis.
7 Key Signs Your Body Is Calcium Deficient
· Leg Cramps – When your body is calcium deficient, it can cause the nerve endings in the body including your calves, quads, and hamstrings to spasm.
· Numbness/Tingling – Spastic nerve endings can cause numbness and tingling in your feet and hands.
· Cavities – When you go to the dentist and find that you have cavities, it’s a warning that your body is deficient in calcium. When the body doesn’t get enough calcium through the diet, it starts leeching it from other places in the body like your teeth.
· Peeling Nails – Your nails are like your bones and teeth in that it accumulates calcium. If you notice your nails are peeling, it’s time to up your calcium intake. Do this by eating more green vegetables, boosting the amount of dairy you consume and use fortified foods.
· Sleep Problems – Believe it or not but calcium plays a role in the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone, and calcium levels increase when the body is in the deep sleep stage. If you cannot attain a deep sleep, you could be calcium deficient.
· Stooped Posture – With the bones weakened from the sufficient amount of calcium it needs; the body will become stooped. You could experience back and neck pain.
· Memory Loss – It’s not uncommon to experience neurological symptoms such as hallucinations and memory loss when your body is calcium deficient.
· Seizures – It’s important the body gets calcium to ensure suitable neurotransmitter function and muscle contractions. A lack of it can lead to seizures in people who are fairly healthy.
If you’re suffering from any of these above symptoms, one drink of an extra tall glass of milk may help. Talk with your doctor about the symptoms to see if you need to use a calcium supplement.
There are so many different elements our body needs in order to stay in top shape. See our additional articles, such as this one to check if you are suffering from a magnesium deficiency.
