6 Reasons Why Your Body Needs Calcium (& How to Boost It)

Do you know why calcium is so important to your body? The cells in our body use calcium for many different functions.

Calcium is essential for building strong bones and preventing bone deterioration.

By eating the right type of food, your body will get the appropriate amount of calcium needed for specific functions.

In this blog post, we will talk about the importance of calcium, why your body needs this mineral nutrient, and how to boost its levels.

So, before we begin, let’s take a look at what we’ll cover in this post:

What is calcium and What it does in the body
Reasons why your body needs calcium
How to boost calcium levels
Where to get calcium supplement
Precautions you need to take when considering calcium supplements
Side effects of calcium supplements
Recommended daily intake for calcium

If you’re interested in learning more, be sure to read on, you might be surprised at what you find out!.

What is Calcium and What Does it Do in the Body?

Table of Contents

Calcium is one of the abundant minerals found in the body. About 99% of calcium is found in your bones and teeth, and 1% is in the blood, muscles, and soft tissues.

This 1 percent helps with transmitting nerve signals, blood clotting, regulating blood pressure, and immune defenses.

Calcium performs lots of functions in the blood, tissues, and bones.

Here’s what it does:

Combining with phosphorus to form bones and teeth, making them hard and resistant to breaks and decay.
Helping muscles to contract normally.
Helping blood to clot normally when you get a cut or wound.
Sending nerve signals along the nervous system from the brain to other parts of the body and vice versa.
Regulating blood pressure.

Low calcium intake results in high blood pressure. People with high blood pressure should make sure they consume about 1000 to 1500 mg per day.

Reasons Why Your Body Needs Calcium

Getting enough calcium in your diet not only prevents hypertensive disorders of pregnancy, but also with bad cholesterol, osteoporosis, and colorectal adenomas.

Here are 6 reasons why your body needs calcium:

1. Blood Clotting

Calcium ion is important for blood to clot, and it stops bleeding when you get an injury. When you cut yourself, platelets rush to the site of the injury and releases calcium ions. The calcium helps to form a clot, which seals off the wound and prevents blood loss.

2. Muscle Contraction

Calcium is needed for muscles to contract and relax. When a signal is sent from your brain to your muscles to move, the signal is carried by a calcium ion.

The calcium ion binds to a protein on the muscle fiber, which causes the muscles to contract.

3. Nerve Signaling

Calcium also helps nerves send messages to every part of the body. When a nerve is active, it releases a burst of calcium ions.

The calcium ions travel down the nerve fiber and activate other nerve cells. This is how your brain is able to send signals to your muscles and different parts of your body.

4. Hormone Release

Calcium is needed for hormones such as parathyroid hormone, neurotransmitters, and insulin to come out. The Parathyroid hormone, are stored in vesicles inside the cells that make them.

When these cells are stimulated, they release the vesicles, which then releases parathyroid hormone into the blood, this process is called exocytosis.

Calcium ions helps your vesicles to merge with the cell membrane and releases their contents.

5. Bone Health

Bones are made up of calcium and other minerals like magnesium and manganese.

Calcium gives bones their strength and structure. If there are low levels of calcium in your body, your bones becomes weak and brittle, leading to osteoporosis.

6. Reduces LDL Cholesterol

Calcium supplementation and lipid metabolism reduces LDL cholesterol and increases HDL cholesterol by 95%.

Dietary calcium suppresses calcitrophic hormones that reduce intracellular calcium in adipocytes, this process stimulates lipogenesis and lipid storage.

Dietary calcium intake may reduce serum cholesterol by inhibiting cholesterol and saturated fatty acid absorption.

How to Boost Your Calcium Levels

The easiest way to get enough calcium is by eating the right foods. Dairy products such as milk, cheese, and yogurt are well-known sources of calcium.

But if you don’t eat dairy, there are plenty of other options. Leafy greens like kale, spinach, and broccoli are great choices.

Almonds, tofu, and foods with calcium, like cereals and plant-based milks, can also help you get the calcium you need.

A good source of calcium contribute at least 100 milligrams (mg) of calcium in a standard serving.

Below are a list of foods with their calcium content based on their serving size:

Yogurt (1 cup) – 415 mg of Ca
Milk (1 cup) – 300 mg of Ca
Cheese (1 ounce) – 300 mg of Ca
Tofu (half cup) – 200 mg of Ca
Salmon (3 ounces) – 181 mg of Ca
Kale (1 cup) – 177 mg of Ca
Almonds (1 ounce) – 75 mg of Ca
Oranges (1 medium) – 74 mg of Ca

From the list of calcium-rich foods above, Yogurt, has the highest calcium content, with 415 mg per cup.

When to Consider Calcium Supplements

Though it’s always preferable to get your calcium from food, there are situations where supplements may be necessary, especially if you have dietary restrictions or specific health conditions.

In these cases, taking a supplement can help you meet your daily needs easily.

Choosing the right calcium supplement is important for your health.

If you are still worried about not getting enough calcium from food or have been advised to increase your intake, choose a good-quality calcium supplement that fits your lifestyle. Look for products that are well-reviewed, easy to absorb, and match your specific needs.

It’s important to take the supplements with guidance to ensure you’re taking the right amount. This helps you get the benefits while avoiding risks like kidney stones or heart problems.

Some calcium supplements contain other nutrients, like vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium properly.

Where to buy calcium supplements?

Check out our recommended calcium supplements, carefully chosen for their quality and effectiveness:

Sango Coral Calcium: 500 grams powder – Pure original coral calcium powder from okinawa.
- Contains Coral Calcium Powder from Okinawa
- Contains Calcium and Magnesium at a ratio of 2:1
- With 74 minerals and trace elements
Algae Calcium: 180 capsules – Pure plant based calcium with high bioavailability.
- Supplies vegetal calcium
- Also supplies 70 other minerals and trace elements
- Many studies prove its positive effect for the body
Osteoxan (for strong bones): 120 capsules – Complete formula for vital substances to maintain healthy bones.
- Supplies all essential nutrients for healthy bones
- High bioavailability and bioactivity
- 100% natural calcium from algae
Bariatric Advantage Chewable Calcium Citrate: This chewable calcium citrate tablets are specially formulated for bariatric patients. Each serving delivers:
- 500 mg calcium only from calcium citrate designed for better absorption
- 12.5 mcg (500 IU) vitamin D3 to support calcium absorption
- Vitamin K and magnesium for added nutrient support
- Natural flavoring
Thorne Calcium-Magnesium Malate: Is a convenient way to support bone and muscle health. This easy-to-consume calcium and magnesium supplement is in an optimally absorbed form, so the minerals can get to work right away.

Precautions

Here are some precautions you need to know before you start taking your calcium supplements:

Talk about your individual needs and calcium intake from dietary sources with your doctor to determine if supplementation is appropriate and at what dosage.
The RDI for calcium depends on age and gender. For adults, the RDI is 1,000 – 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Exceeding this amount can increase the risk of side effects.
Instead of taking a large dose of calcium supplements all at once, divide your daily calcium intake into smaller doses taken throughout the day. This helps to maximize calcium absorption and minimize side effects.
Calcium interferes with the absorption of iron and other mineral nutrients. Take calcium at least an hour before or two hours after meals.
Calcium supplements also interacts with bisphosphonates, antibiotics, and thyroid hormones.
High dosage of calcium supplements may cause mild side effects, like constipation, bloating, and gas.
If you have a history of kidney stones, heart disease, or other health condition, discuss with your doctor if calcium supplements are appropriate for you.

Side Effects of Calcium Supplements

Taking too much calcium can lead to a condition known as hypercalcemia, which can cause a number of side effects, including:

Making stool harder to pass.
Causing bloating, which is an uncomfortable feeling of fullness in the abdomen.
Nausea, in some cases.
Forming and building up stones in your kidneys.
Arrhythmias, like atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, and bradycardia.

There has been a major concern for some decades that calcium supplementation might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This issue hasn’t been addressed by those who treat osteoporosis.

How Much Calcium Do You Need?

According to the U.K. department of health, the reference nutrient intake for calcium required according to age is listed below:

Infants and children: 350–550mg/day
Teenage: 800–1000mg/day
Adults: 700mg/day

Other references for the adequate intakes of dietary calcium are:

Birth to 6 months: 210 mg
7–12months: 270mg
Children 1–3years: 500mg
Children 4–8years: 800mg
Children 9–13years: 1300mg
Teens 14–18years: 1300mg
Adults: 1000 – 1200mg

Keep in mind that exceeding below the recommended daily intake is likely to cause calcium deficiency, and related health problems, such as; clot failure, hypertension, bone deterioration, muscle cramps, and poor nerve transmission.

Takeaway

Consume appropriate amounts of calcium to stay healthy, just to reduce your risk for developing osteoporosis and kidney stones.

Use the table of dietary reference intakes for calcium to find out how much calcium you need to consume each day, try to eat calcium from foods or beverages.

And if you’re looking for the best calcium supplement on the market, choose the absorbable forms like calcium citrate and calcium carbonate.

References:

Owens, C. D., & Alberti, M. M. (2009). Hematology at a glance. John Wiley & Sons.
Calcium and muscle contraction by the National Institutes of Health. [view article]
Muscle contraction by Khan Academy. [view article]
The role of calcium in muscle contraction by the University of California, Berkeley. [view article]
Neuroscience: Exploring the Brain by Mark F. Bear, Barry W. Connors, Michael A. Paradiso. 4th Edition. 2020.
“Calcium in Human Biology” by Nina Agate, Michael Canfield, and Mark W. Francis (1999).
“The Role of Calcium in Hormone Secretion” by Daniel D. Rubin (2000).
“Calcium: A Versatile Regulator of Hormone Secretion” by Richard H. Chow and Michael J. Berridge (2015).
“Parathyroid Hormone” by John P. Bilezikian (2001).
“Parathyroid Hormone: Physiology and Pathophysiology” by David A. Hanley (2009).
“The Parathyroid Gland: An Endocrine Regulator of Calcium Homeostasis” by Michael J. Berridge (2015).
“Exocytosis” by James E. Rothman (2001).
“The Cell: A Molecular Approach” by Geoffrey M. Cooper and Robert E. Hausman (2015).
“Molecular Biology of the Cell” by Bruce Albert, Alexander Johnson, Julian Lewis, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, and Peter Walter (2015).
“Calcium Signaling” by Ernst M. Sternberg (2009).
“The Chemical Basis of Cell Signaling” by Donald D. Newmeyer and David A. Foster (2015).
“Molecular Cell Biology” by Harvey Lodish, Arnold Berk, Chris A. Kaiser, Matthew P. Scott, William B. Sherwin, Paul Matsudaira, James Darnell, and Lawrence Goldstein (2016).
Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General (2004). [view article]