Calcium Benefits

Calcium is one of the most important minerals that need to be included in the diet. It is a vital element that is required by the body for many functions. It is the most abundant mineral found in the body, of which most of it is stored in the teeth and bones. The normal range of serum calcium is 4.5-5.6 mg/dl. Given below are the various calcium benefits, and what happens when there is derangement in the levels of calcium in the body.

What are the Benefits of Calcium for Women and Men?
There are plenty of calcium benefits. Calcium is an important mineral that should be included in the diet on a regular basis. Given below are the various functions that calcium serves in the body:

• Calcium is responsible for the construction, formation, and the maintenance of bone and teeth in the body. In fact, almost 99% of the body's calcium is stored in the bone and teeth.
• One of the calcium benefits is that it controls blood clotting. Calcium is a vital component in the blood clotting system of the body. This is because calcium is responsible for maintaining the stability of fibrin, which is the component that allows the blood to clot.
• Calcium plays an important part in neurotransmission, nerve conduction, and nerve signaling in the body. It helps in the release of neurotransmitters at the junctions between nerve cells.
• Calcium is an important component in the production of enzymes and hormones that are responsible for regulating digestion and fat metabolism in the body.
• Calcium helps to transport ions across membranes of cells.
• It is also essential for normal muscle contraction. This applies for both voluntary and involuntary muscle contraction. A deficiency in calcium leads to muscle cramps and abdominal cramps. This is one of the benefits of calcium and magnesium both in the body, of maintaining normal muscle contraction and relaxation.
• Calcium helps to maintain all cells and connective tissue in the body in a healthy state.
• Calcium helps to keep dental problems, like tooth decay and even periodontal diseases, at bay.

What are the Sources of Calcium?
To avail of the above given calcium benefits, one will need to include adequate amount of calcium in the diet. There are many natural sources of calcium. These include dairy products like milk, yogurt, cheese, etc. Ice cream also contains milk and calcium in reasonable amounts. For people that are lactose intolerant, there are other sources of calcium like broccoli, cabbage, okra, cauliflower among other fruits and vegetables.

There are certain conditions where the person's body has a higher demand for calcium. Pregnant women need calcium so as to ensure that there is proper development of the skeletal system of the baby. This is one of the reasons why calcium supplements are given. One of the most important health benefits of calcium supplements in such cases is that women may not feel like eating calcium rich foods due to their morning sickness, so they can derive their calcium requirement from these supplements. Women that are approaching menopause, or who have reached menopause, are at a higher susceptibility to develop osteoporosis. To prevent this condition, they are often prescribed calcium supplements and are told to have food that is rich in calcium.

This was all about the various calcium benefits and sources of calcium. There are many diseases that may arise as a result of changes in the calcium levels in the body. An increase in the levels of calcium in the body leads to a condition known as hypercalcemia. However, the more common condition is when there is a deficiency of calcium in the diet. This leads to a condition known as hypocalcemia. Other disorders related to calcium deficiency include osteoporosis and osteopenia. Hence, to keep all these diseases at bay, it is best to maintain normal levels of calcium in the blood by eating calcium rich foods.