Calcium, the cornerstone of human health, plays an integral role in keeping bones and teeth strong.

However, in the hectic modern life, many people do not consume enough calcium through their daily diet. To make up for this nutritional gap, they chose to take calcium tablets as a supplement.

However, have you ever thought about when to take calcium tablets to maximize their calcium supplementation effect? In fact, taking calcium tablets is not simply anytime, anywhere, and the right time can significantly improve the efficiency of calcium absorption.

In the matter of calcium supplementation, it is important to clarify 3 points

In the early stages of adulthood, our bodies absorb more calcium than they consume, which leads to the constant growth and strengthening of our bones.

Around the age of 40, our bone mass will reach a peak. Calcium intake should be focused on maximizing bone mass.

First, we need to know how much calcium we need to consume each day. According to WS/T 578.2-2018 "Recommendations for Dietary Nutrient Reference Intakes for Chinese Residents", the calcium intake of different age groups is as follows:

The recommended daily intake is 600 mg for people aged 1 to 4 years and 800 mg for people aged 4 to 7 years;

The recommended daily intake is 1000 mg for people aged 7 to 11 years and 1200 mg for people aged 11 to 14 years;

The recommended daily intake is 1,000 mg for people aged 14 to 18 years, 800 mg for people aged 18 to 50 years, and 1,000 mg for 50 years.

However, the Report on the Status of Nutrition and Chronic Diseases in China (2015) pointed out that the average dietary calcium intake of mainland residents is 366.1 mg/day, which is still far from the recommended intake.

Second, while calcium is essential for human health, excessive supplementation can have negative effects. Not all the calcium ingested can be absorbed by the body, and the calcium supplementation exceeds the body's absorption capacity, and its absorption rate will be reduced.

More severely, excessive calcium supplementation may lead to symptoms such as loss of appetite, bloating, abdominal pain, joint pain, kidney stones, urinary tract infections, neuromuscular system abnormalities, and more. Hypercalcemia is not clinically uncommon and can even be life-threatening in severe cases. Therefore, we should not take supplements at will when supplementing calcium, but should consult a doctor first to formulate a reasonable adjustment plan.

Finally, not everyone needs calcium supplements. For those with calcium levels in the blood, tablets may aggravate their condition and should be avoided.

There are 4 golden times for calcium supplementation

1. Early morning time: Studies have shown that 6 to 9 o'clock in the morning is the time period with a high incidence of heart disease, asthma, emphysema, stroke and other diseases. Calcium supplementation at this time can increase the concentration of calcium in the blood, thereby reducing the risk of developing these diseases.

2. Post-meal time: The best time to supplement calcium is not during meals, because it will affect the absorption of calcium. On the contrary, calcium supplementation after meals can make better use of calcium and thus maximize its effect.

3. After the sun: Many people are afraid of the sun and worry about darkening their skin. However, when sunlight hits the body, it can help produce vitamins, and vitamin D is an important factor in helping calcium absorption. Therefore, calcium supplementation after sun exposure is also a very ideal choice.

4. Before going to sleep: According to research, when the human body urinates on an empty stomach at night, the calcium excreted mainly comes from bones. Therefore, drinking calcium-rich beverages such as milk before bed can not only effectively replenish calcium, but also help improve sleep quality.

The above is the optimal make-up time for adults, while for children, the situation is different.

As we all know, babies who are deficient in calcium at night will have night noise. This is because the hormones that regulate blood calcium levels in the body are secreted differently during the day and in different amounts, resulting in relatively low blood calcium levels at night.

Therefore, supplementing calcium for your baby at night can not only provide the necessary source of calcium, but also help your baby have a stable sedative effect.

How to choose calcium?

There are many types of calcium supplements, which can be divided into inorganic calcium, organic acid calcium, active calcium, and new calcium preparations according to their composition. With so many options to choose from, how do we make informed decisions?

For the general population, calcium supplementation usually chooses inorganic calcium, such as calcium carbonate, which has a high calcium content. However, for those with insufficient gastric acid secretion, the absorption rate of inorganic calcium will be greatly reduced.

Given that gastric acid secretion tends to decrease in older people, it is recommended that older people over the age of 65 who have achlorhydria problems choose calcium organic acids, such as calcium citrate.

Patients with hypoparathyroidism and chronic renal failure often have hyperphosphatemia and therefore cannot use calcium agents containing phosphorus, such as dicalcium phosphate.

Instead, calcium carbonate, calcium citrate or calcium acetate can be chosen, which not only replenish calcium, but also act as phosphate binders for hyperphosphatemia and effectively reduce phosphorus levels in the blood.

There are also some issues to be aware of when using calcium. For example, calcium citrate increases intestinal absorption of aluminum, so people taking aluminum should avoid it. Calcium gluconate, on the other hand, is not suitable for diabetics.

Long-term use of conventional calcium supplements, such as calcium carbonate, may lead to increased calcium concentrations in the blood and urine, which in turn increases the risk of calcium acid crystals in the urinary tract and stones.

Source: Baidu Doctor Health Chat

Disclaimer: This article is reproduced for the purpose of conveying more information, the copyright belongs to the original author, and the content does not represent the views of the platform. If there is a source labeling error or infringement of your legitimate rights and interests, please contact the editor, we will deal with it in time, thank you!