Calcium deficiency is a serious problem that can lead to a number of diseases: osteoporosis (bone fragility), tooth decay, and the formation of kidney stones (2). However, a deficiency of this important microelement is not always a consequence of an unbalanced diet. For a given age or state of the body, it is considered the norm.
1. During pregnancy
During pregnancy, the need for calcium increases, as it is necessary for the formation of the baby’s skeleton and teeth. Also, nausea and vomiting – frequent companions of toxicosis – can lead to a decrease in appetite and, as a result, a decrease in calcium intake.
2. For chronic diseases
Calcium deficiency can be associated with a number of chronic diseases, such as kidney failure, diabetes mellitus or hypoparathyroidism. How to compensate for the deficiency of a microelement in such cases should be discussed with a specialist.
3. In children
Calcium absorption in infants and young children is up to 60%. However, with age, especially in adolescence, when the stage of active growth begins, the need for calcium increases even more. Therefore, you need to carefully monitor the child’s diet and sufficient intake of vitamin D , which helps the growing body to effectively use calcium.
How to properly consume foods with calcium
It is worth mentioning that there are no universal rules for eating foods, because food by its nature is multi-component, and each person’s body is individual. However, there are some tips that are important to follow if you want to replenish calcium deficiency in your body.
1. Calcium absorption depends on the type of food
Some plant foods contain compounds such as oxalic and phytic acid (greens, sweet potatoes, rhubarb, beans, spinach). They may reduce calcium absorption. But this does not mean that spinach is a bad source of micronutrients. When combined with vitamin D, the level of absorption becomes higher.
Therefore, adequate levels of vitamin D are much more important than controlling, for example, caffeine. It is beneficial to eat foods rich in calcium along with those containing vitamin D (for example, fatty fish, egg yolks, milk).
2. Calcium is better absorbed in combination with phosphorus
It is also important to eat foods with phosphorus: meat, fish, nuts, eggs.
3. A varied diet
The more varied the diet, the more factors there are for the absorption of all necessary minerals and vitamins. It is recommended to obtain calcium by alternating foods in your diet.
4. Fractional consumption
It is advisable to consume foods with calcium in portions throughout the day, rather than in one large meal. This will help better assimilate the element.
Doctor’s recommendations and advice
An adult needs about 1000 mg of calcium per day. For pregnant women and the elderly, the norms are higher – about 1200-1300 mg, and for children they vary depending on age.
The preferred and most effective way to replenish all essential nutrients, vitamins and minerals in the body is through a nutritious, healthy diet. In the modern world, a common cause of a lack of calcium in the diet may be adherence to strict restrictive diets or refusal of dairy products, a vegan or unbalanced vegetarian diet.
The most accessible source of calcium is dairy products. With their help, you can get about 75% of the daily requirement of this microelement. Therefore, those who want to eliminate calcium deficiency are recommended to consume cottage cheese, milk, and hard cheeses as often as possible. Another unobvious source of calcium is mineral water. In the absence of contraindications, you can drink enriched or natural water containing useful microelements.
Here is an example of a one-day diet rich in calcium. Breakfast: Oatmeal with milk (200 mg calcium), cheesecakes with Greek yogurt and figs (340 mg calcium). Lunch: Canned pink salmon soup with herbs (350 mg calcium), quiche with broccoli and cheese (350 mg calcium). Afternoon snack: Orange, almonds, Greek yogurt (350 mg calcium). Dinner: Leafy green salad with sesame dressing, baked chicken with potatoes, a glass of kefir (350 mg calcium).”
Questions and answers
Together with an expert, we answer the most frequently asked questions about calcium.
How to determine calcium deficiency in the body?
We most often associate calcium with healthy bones and teeth. This is true: about 99% of the trace element in the body is deposited in bones and teeth, and the remaining 1% is found in the blood, muscles and other tissues. The body uses bones as a reservoir and source of calcium. Therefore, poor condition of nails and teeth is one of the nonspecific symptoms of its deficiency.
At birth, the child’s body contains 26-30 g of calcium. This amount increases rapidly, reaching approximately 1200 g in women and 1400 g in men in adulthood. Levels usually remain unchanged in men, but begin to decline in women at the onset of menopause as a result of increased bone remodeling due to decreased estrogen production.
If you suspect you have a calcium deficiency, you should seek help from a specialist (usually an endocrinologist). He will conduct a diagnosis, determine risk factors, type of diet, take into account age, medications taken, diseases (including the gastrointestinal tract, since calcium absorption occurs through the intestinal mucosa), and then, if necessary, prescribe additional studies. For example, X-ray densitometry is the most accurate way to measure bone density. It uses two different X-rays to evaluate bone density in the spine and hip.
Total calcium levels can also be measured in serum or plasma. But it is important to understand that serum levels are not sufficient to assess the condition: the amount of serum iron can vary significantly from day to day and even within a day. Therefore, measurement of serum iron levels is almost always combined with other tests such as ferritin and transferrin.
What is the daily calcium requirement for women, men and children? (4)
| Floor | Age | Daily calcium intake, mg/day |
| Children | up to 3 years | 700 |
| Children | from 4 to 10 years | 1000 |
| Children and teenagers | from 10 to 16 years | 1300 |
| Adults | from 16 to 50 years | 1000 |
| Women (pregnant/breastfeeding) | 25-50 years | 1300 |
| Women | over 50 years old | 1200 |
| Men | over 50 years old | 1000 m |
What foods interfere with calcium absorption?
The following can hinder the absorption of calcium in the body:
- some foods rich in oxalic acid (for example, spinach, beets, cocoa, black and herbal tea);
- phytates (salts of phytic acid), contained in grain products, beans, nuts, seeds;
- excessive salt intake (this can lead to increased calcium excretion in urine);
- high caffeine and alcohol consumption;
- Excessive protein intake, especially of animal origin.
Keep in mind that it is also important to pay attention to your overall diet and lifestyle, not just individual foods or substances.
What flushes calcium out of the body?
There is no specific substance that “leaches” calcium. But still, calcium losses may be higher than normal under the following conditions:
- phosphorus metabolism disorders;
- problems with the parathyroid glands;
- vitamin D deficiency;
- menopause period.
- with excessive consumption of coffee, sweet tea, carbonated drinks;
- when consuming excess amounts of protein;
- with a high salt content in the diet, even with sufficient calcium intake from food (since calcium is used to remove excess salt from the body).
Importantly, the adverse effects of excess calcium are often associated with high intake of dietary supplements. Our body independently regulates the absorption of microelements depending on its intake from food. When there is enough calcium, the hormone calcitonin lowers calcium levels in the blood, stopping it from being released from the bones and signaling the kidneys to excrete more calcium in the urine. Therefore, if you exceed the permissible level of a microelement by “overeating” food additives, you can get the opposite effect.