[Pearl Science] How to supplement calcium scientifically?

According to the results of the 2012 National Survey on Nutrition and Health Status, the average daily calcium intake per standard person in my country is 364 mg, which is lower than the 800 mg recommended by the Chinese Nutrition Society.

(In nutrition, a "standard person" refers to an adult male doing light manual labor.)

Different groups of people and different age groups have different calcium requirements.

Women in late pregnancy and nursing mothers have the highest calcium requirement, which is 1200 mg/d.

Adolescents (puberty), women in mid-pregnancy, and middle-aged and elderly people over 50 years old have the next highest calcium demand, which is 1000 mg/d.

The calcium requirement for children aged 4 to 10 years, general adults, and women in early pregnancy is 800 mg/d.

The calcium requirement for infants and young children aged 1 to 3 years is 300 to 600 mg/d.

The above recommended calcium intake is for the entire population. Each person can make appropriate adjustments within the recommended range based on their height and weight. For example, tall people can consume more, while short people can reduce their intake.

With the improvement of people's living standards in recent years, the continuous enrichment of food types, especially the popularity of milk and other dairy products, the number of people suffering from calcium deficiency problems is getting fewer and fewer.

For special groups, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, postpartum women, people who are dieting to lose weight, etc., if they really need calcium supplementation according to their physical conditions, they can take calcium tablets in moderation, follow the doctor's advice, and combine it with appropriate outdoor activities.

To supplement calcium, it is generally preferred to get it from daily diet. Eat foods high in calcium, such as soy products, milk, kelp, seaweed, eggs, etc., and pay attention to the combination of meat, fish, eggs, milk, vegetables, fruits and melons to ensure a balanced diet and comprehensive nutrition that can basically meet the needs of the human body.

Calcium supplementation is a long-term project. As long as it is not excessive (daily intake should not exceed 2000 mg), it is suitable to "take small amounts multiple times for a long time."

It is not advisable to "eat calcium tablets as snacks" or "take a large amount of calcium at one time".

Normal people do not have any illness or symptoms of calcium deficiency. They just need to pay attention to making their daily diet as comprehensive and balanced as possible, and there is no need to deliberately supplement calcium.

If your consideration is to "store bone mass while you are young", it is okay to take supplements occasionally.

Because the human body has a "dynamic balance" regulation mechanism for calcium in the body. The calcium absorbed by the human body will be supplied to the daily metabolism through the blood circulation system first, and the excess will be transferred to the bones and teeth for storage to increase bone density; when the calcium absorbed by the human body is not enough, the calcium in the bones will be transferred to the blood for the body's metabolism.

One point needs to be emphasized, although calcium supplementation is important, it should not be excessive. Excessive calcium supplementation is bad for the body, such as hypercalciuria, hypercalcemia, electrolyte imbalance, etc.

When supplementing calcium, we must also consider the issue of "promoting calcium absorption".

Vitamin D can promote the absorption of calcium into the human blood circulation system. Usually, we go outdoors to bask in the sun, which can promote the body's own synthesis of vitamin D and promote calcium absorption.

Vitamin D supplementation should also be appropriate. Excessive intake will also cause adverse symptoms. The main toxic side effect of excessive vitamin D is excessive blood calcium. Early signs mainly include muscle and bone pain, and late symptoms include osteoporosis.

In addition, vitamin K will also affect the effect of calcium supplementation. Vitamin K is involved in the synthesis of osteocalcin, which can regulate the synthesis of calcium phosphate in bones, promote bone growth, increase bone density, and reduce the risk of fractures.

"Calcium supplementation and bone strengthening" is a systematic project, involving calcium sources, vitamin D, vitamin K, etc. Therefore, if there are bone problems, it is necessary to find the causes from multiple aspects and multiple links, and then prevent and treat them symptomatically.