Calcium-Rich Foods | A Guide to Calcium-Rich Foods & More

Advantages of supplements:

Calcium supplements are present in many forms but most commonly calcium carbonate and calcium citrate with the latter being easily absorbed through the GIT and don’t have to be taken with food but have lower amounts of elemental calcium than the former.

calcium is essential for special populations for example:

  • Women after starting menopause since the rapid decline in estrogen levels can lead to bone resorption in rates higher than bone formation and compromise bone density, lead to osteoporosis and increase the risk of fracture, especially in vertebrae, hips, forearm so taking 1000 mg of calcium per day can decrease bone loss by 1% and with some exercises and sun exposure it can help you have healthy dense bones for longer and avoid having fractures.
  • If you are on a vegan diet you usually don’t consume as manydairy products and foods with high calcium content so it is best to rely on supplements to protect your bones and teeth
  • If you are on a high protein diet since proteins usually lead to excretion of calcium through urine leading to high loss rates of calcium this also happens if you consume too much salt in your diet since the sodium enhances calcium excretion by the kidneys
  • If you are lactose intolerant and avoid having dairy products that have the highest amount of calcium we need but you can depend on lactose-freedairy products to make sure you get enough calcium through the diet
  • If you have a health condition where you are unable to absorb calcium from your diet like inflammatory bowel disease so it is best to take supplements
  • If you have been on medications that suppress calcium absorption or cause osteoporosis like corticosteroids and some types of immunotherapeutic drugs
  • If you are suffering from low bone density and osteoporosis
  • It can help reduce the incidence of some cancers like colon and rectum cancers
  • It has been shown to reduce cardiovascular risk through its binding to fatty acids and reducing lipid absorption and it has  shown lower ratesof hypertension so it decreases the two main causes of heart disease
  • Some studies have shown that taking calcium supplements during pregnancy lowers the rate of developing preeclampsia
  • Calcium has been shown to reduce weight gain and aid in weight loss as well as reduce the risk of getting metabolic syndrome