The function of calcium in the body:
1. Building bones and teeth:
Bone is a complex tissue made up of 70% minerals and 30% organic content. This 70% of mineral content is made up of 95% hydroxyapatite which is a compound made up through the bonds between calcium and phosphorus Crystals and other ions like magnesium and fluoride, and the osteoid content is composed of 98% collagen fibers and a cellular matrix of glycoproteins and proteoglycans.
Calcium is a part of two different types of bone and is present in different concentrations according to the function of the bone there is :
- cortical bone or compact bone that is the structural strong bony part of the skeleton with 80_90% of calcium.
- trabecular bone or cancellous bone that serves mainly a metabolic function with 15_20% of calcium only.
While bone mass and density are determined by various factors like genetics, hormones, physical activity, and nutrition calcium is needed to maintain strong dense bones.
