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Do you remember your parents telling you to drink your milk as a kid? And did they ever explain to you why it was important? If so, they might have told you that it makes your bones strong. But there’s a lot more to calcium, and it’s just as important in adulthood as it was when you were a child. As a naturopathic doctor in Toronto, it’s not uncommon for me to see people with issues related to calcium. And that’s not terribly surprising – according to data from Statistics Canada, more than half of Canadians over 50 have insufficient calcium1. But why should you care? Why is calcium so important? To find out, keep reading. What Is Calcium? Calcium is a mineral that you can find in various different foods. It’s mostly stored in your bones and teeth – around 99% of it, in fact. For the chemistry folks in the audience, calcium is number 20 on the periodic table, and its chemical short form is Ca2. And for the language folks, its name is derived from the Latin word “calx”, or lime, since it’s a key component of limestone. What Does Calcium Do? It strengthens many of your body’s vital structures, such as bones, teeth, and muscles. It also plays a role in your neurology. Your body needs calcium to keep your muscles moving. It’s also necessary for your brain to send and receive messages across your body. Additionally, it helps your blood move through your blood vessels and releases hormones and enzymes that keep your whole body functioning. Let’s take a closer look at what exactly calcium does for you. 1. It Keeps Your Bones Strong Calcium plays a vital part in the growth, development, and continued resilience of your bones. This is why it’s important for children to get adequate calcium in their diets. When you stop growing, calcium continues to support your bones to slow down bone density loss, which is part of the aging process. If you’ve already experienced menopause, it’s a possibility that you can lose bone density at a faster rate than younger people. This can lead to osteoporosis, which makes bones more likely to break. But making sure that you get enough calcium is a good preventative measure you can take today. 2. It Keeps Your Muscles Strong Calcium helps regulate muscle contraction. When a nerve stimulates a muscle, the body releases calcium. The calcium helps the proteins in your muscle carry out the work of contraction. When your body pumps the calcium out of your muscle, the muscle relaxes. 3. It Plays A Role In Blood Clotting Calcium is also important in the blood clotting process. When blood clots, a number of different chemicals, including calcium, are involved. Because calcium supports muscles it also supports your heart, which is a muscular organ. When the heart pumps blood, calcium relaxes the smooth muscle surrounding blood vessels. There have also been studies that link calcium to lower blood pressure. Symptoms Of Calcium Deficiency If you don’t get enough calcium, you might not know right away because the body will maintain calcium levels by taking the calcium that is already stored in your bones. Over the long term, you may experience symptoms of calcium deficiency, after your body has depleted its reserves of calcium from your bones. Calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis and bone weaknesses, which makes your bones more fragile and prone to fractures. At the point where calcium deficiency is considered severe, you may experience tingling and numbness in your fingers, an irregular heartbeat, and convulsions. However, these symptoms are uncommon in people who don’t have serious existing health problems, or who aren’t undergoing certain medical treatments. Dietary Sources Of Calcium A wide variety of everyday foods contain calcium. The main source of calcium for a lot of people is dairy products like milk, cheese, and yoghurt. If you have a food sensitivity to dairy, however, which is common, it’s probably better to get calcium from other foods. Fish with soft bones like salmon and tuna contain calcium. It can also be found in some breakfast cereals as an added ingredient. Cruciferous vegetables like kale, broccoli, and Chinese cabbages are also a good source of calcium. To learn more about the amount of calcium in your food, check its ingredients label and nutritional values chart. From there, you can track whether you’re hitting the daily recommended calcium intake. If you’re concerned that you’re not getting enough calcium from your diet, consider taking a calcium supplement. It’s best to consult with a qualified health practitioner, though, to ensure that you’re getting the right amount. Taking too much calcium can also be harmful to your health. 1. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/82-003-x/2011003/article/11515-eng.htm 2. https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/20/calcium Book An Appointment At Nardini Naturopathic Are you looking to safeguard your body against bone density loss? Or are you looking for natural ways to increase the amount of calcium in your diet? Or would you like to learn more about how it can help you achieve your health goals? If so, book an appointment with me, Dr. Pat Nardini, at Nardini Naturopathic.