most abundant element in the body – facts about calcium By Shaul Debbi

You may hear calcium often stated in TV commercials of dairy products and how it helps strengthen our bones and teeth. But what are the facts about calcium do you know about? By Shaul Debbi

In the first century, the Romans prepared calcium and called it "calsis" but it was only in 1808 that this mineral was discovered by Sir Humphry Davy of England. Lime is the major source of this mineral, hence, the Latin word "calsis" meaning lime. Classified as an "alkaline earth metal", it is found in the Earth's crust and accounts to 3.5% of the total minerals. Aside from lime, other calcium sources are chalk, limestone, and marble. Calcium as an organic mineral reacts with water and oxygen. One kilogram of 99.8% pure calcium granules costs €126.90. Calcium exists only in two compounds, lime (CaO) and gypsum (CaSO4), which are highly in demand in many industries.

More facts about calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body but 99% of our body's calcium requirement is stored in the bones. So where does the 1% go? It is in the blood for the proper functioning of the nervous system, aids in muscle contraction, and blood coagulation. The facts about calcium are that it is harmful when levels go above and below normal ergo do not exceed your calcium intake to 2000mg a day. Doctors require a daily calcium intake of 1000mg for adults and 1200-1500mg for women with low estrogen.

Here are more facts about calcium, there are two kinds of calcium are absorbable by the body: calcium citrate and calcium carbonate. The former is good for people with intestinal disease; the latter is more widely used because it is less expensive but should be taken with food for it to be absorbed well. On the other hand, take your calcium sources twice a day because intestines can only absorb 600mg of calcium at once. The body absorbs only a limited quantity of calcium in the absence of vitamin D. Depending on the amount of sunshine exposure, an adult person needs 400 to 1000 international units of vitamin D each day in order to effectively get the recommended daily allowance of calcium.

Other facts about calcium are you can derive it from various sources but most abundant in dairy products, deep green vegetables, eggs, and red meat. When the calcium level in the blood goes too low it's called hypocalcaemia. When it goes too high, hypercalcaemia occurs, which is most often a result of cancer spread to the bones.