Calcium is Crucial for Men. Are You Getting Enough of It?

Calcium plays a very important role in our overall health and it helps develop a good physique in men. Most of the cells in our body use this chemical element. We all know that calcium is needed for strong teeth and bones, but what we don’t know is that it is a prerequisite for our cells to function in a healthy way. For men, it serves as cement for healthy bones; it is also used by the nerves and muscles and contributes to a proper blood clotting.

Calcium & Vitamin D – The Connection

Calcium, which is found in many foods, is a chemical element which is essential for all, especially men. Our body needs calcium to keep our bones strong and perform many important functions. Vitamin D, on the other hand, manages calcium in your bones, blood and gut, which helps your cells to communicate properly.

Major source of vitamin D comes from your skin when exposed to sunlight, which is why it is also called as the sunshine vitamin. Aside from getting vitamin D from the sun, you can also consume foods or take supplements that are rich of this element. Vitamin D helps in absorption of calcium in our body.

How much calcium does a man need daily?

The amount of calcium needed in the body depends on the age and sex of a person. The demand of our body to get more calcium increases as we age. According to research, men between 19 and 70 years old require 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day while men over 70 years old require 1200 milligrams per day. To meet the increasing demand of calcium in our body, always make sure that we eat foods that are high source of calcium.

How to know if you have enough calcium?

As we know, calcium is very important for our body to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. There is no definite way to test if you are getting enough calcium, look out for some of the signs that you are not getting enough of it: dental cavities, frequent pain in bones or fractures, osteoporosis, overweight, high blood pressure, rickets in children, muscle cramps, tingling and numbness in fingers and abnormal cardiac rhythms, insomnia and trouble sleeping.

Calcium Supplements: Think Twice before popping them

Taking calcium supplements is not widely advisable. Popping large amounts of calcium supplements may be harmful for men. Most men, in the hope that they will not have osteoporosis, take calcium supplements. You should always have a second thought before popping those supplements. There is no scientific evidence that calcium supplement could strengthen your bones and teeth.

Aside from the fact that it has been established that taking calcium supplement does not benefit your bone health, it is also known that taking calcium supplement is associated with some serious health problems. Studies show that taking these supplements could increase your risk of having a heart disease and increases your risk of calcium kidney stones.

We should always take precaution when we ingest calcium supplements. If you decide to take supplements, make sure that you take less than 500 mg of calcium at a time to maximize absorption.

Calcium deficiency is bad for your body

It has been established that calcium plays a very important role in building strong bones, teeth, healthy heart rhythm to our body. With this in mind, being deficient of this mineral leads to lot of problems that could possibly threaten your life. Some of the effects of calcium deficiency are:

Tooth decay – This can be a problem for children, teens and adults in which your tooth enamel, the hard outer layer of the teeth, is destroyed. Calcium deficiency is also one of the reasons that there is a delay in the initial start of tooth formation in children. And mind you, you are not completely dressed up until you wear your perfect smile. Bad odor or tooth decay can be a major put down in any relationship.

Poor Bone Density – People that are calcium deficient are prone to bone loss and fracture as they lack the main component in the building of strong bones. The inadequate supply of calcium over a lifetime is one of the factors of developing osteoporosis in both men and women. Here are some tips for your handsome legs and other feet remedies.

Weak and brittle nails – Like our bones, our nails also needs calcium deposit to maintain its durability. Not having enough calcium could make your nails really weak and prone to breaks. Having white toenails is certainly not a good sign and it may leave a bad impression on your partner.

Insomnia – Studies suggest that sleep disturbances and insomnia are related to calcium deficiency. Calcium has a role in manufacturing melatonin, a sleep hormone. So now you know that mere love is not the cause of your sleepless nights!

Muscle cramps – Muscle cramp is usually the initial alarm that your body is not getting enough calcium that it needs. Common signs are muscle ache, especially those of the thigh, arms and underarms. It may also cause plantar fasciitis.

Major sources of calcium

Milk (also vegetal) is one of the most major sources of calcium. In addition, you can add these foods on your daily diet to increase your calcium intake:

• Dairy foods such as cheese and yogurt,
• green leafy vegetables such as kale,
• spinach and broccoli,
• fruits like oranges,
• beans and peas like peanuts,
• tofu, peas, baked beans and black beans,
• fish such as sardines and salmon and other foods that are rich in calcium like blackstrap molasses, almonds, brown sugar, sesame seeds and corn tortillas.

Tips for upping your calcium intake

Depending on a man’s age, the need of calcium changes. To make sure that your body is getting the amount of calcium it needs, you can incorporate foods that are rich in calcium.

Snack on broccolis and peanuts instead of potato chips, enjoy a smoothie with yogurt for your dessert, add milk on your tea or coffee in the morning, buy juices and cereals that are rich in calcium, have skim milk instead of soda, eat oatmeal with milk for your breakfast, substitute low fat yogurt instead of sour cream. To get calcium naturally from food, we should always be creative in including calcium rich foods in our meals.

A house without a strong foundation of cement is like our body without having enough calcium. Calcium is very important for a good physique. We should practice a healthy diet to make sure that our body gets the enough of it. Ignoring it can increase the risk of developing osteoporosis and other bone problems, it is important that we start valuing calcium for a healthy and confident body. And girls do get impressed by an awesome physique!