Calcium

Calcium is the most important mineral in the body in terms of quantity. It is of particular importance for the strength of bones (bone density) and teeth. The bone system is the largest store of calcium in the body. Calcium also plays an essential role in the transmission of stimuli in muscles and nerves, the intracellular (within a cell) signal transmission and the stabilization of cell membranes. Calcium also plays an important role in blood clotting. Children in the growth phases, pregnant women, women before and after menopause, the elderly and people with lactose intolerance have an increased risk of calcium deficiency due to an unbalanced diet.

navigation

Continue reading
more on the subject

Where is calcium found?
How Much Calcium Do We Need?
Too much / too little calcium

Where is calcium found?

Good sources of calcium are milk and dairy products. In addition, the calcium it contains can be used very well by the body. Dairy products such as hard cheese (e.g. Emmentaler, Parmesan and Gouda) and soft cheeses (e.g. Brie, Mozzarella and Camembert) contain a particularly large amount of calcium. Low-fat products contain the same amount of calcium as the high-fat variant. Some vegetables (e.g. broccoli, kale and rocket) also provide a lot of calcium. Mineral water with a calcium content of over 150 mg / l as well as nuts (e.g. hazelnuts and Brazil nuts) can make a valuable contribution to the supply of calcium. Certain substances (eg oxalic acid and phytates) can reduce the utilization of calcium. However, this does not play an essential role in normal eating habits. To optimize the use of calcium for the body,It is recommended that you distribute your calcium intake over several meals throughout the day.

How Much Calcium Do We Need?

The recommended daily intake for adults (25 to <51 years) according to the DA-CH reference values is 1,000 mg calcium. This value also applies to pregnant and breastfeeding women. A higher recommended intake is given for adolescents (13 to <19 years) with 1,200 mg daily and children (10 to <13 years) with 1,100 mg calcium daily.

You can find out more about all age groups or groups of people as well as gender in the DA-CH reference values. For more information, see Covering Your Daily Mineral Requirement.

Too much / too little calcium

A high calcium level in the blood (hypercalcaemia) must be clarified by a doctor. This is practically impossible with a balanced diet. The cause for this can be, for example, the intake of calcium-containing nutrient preparations or a severe overdose of vitamin D. Likewise, certain diseases of the kidney or thyroid or the use of medication (e.g. diuretics) can increase the calcium level. People who tend to develop urinary stones should not exceed the recommended calcium intake. At an advanced stage, hypercalcaemia can lead to kidney stones and even kidney failure.
A calcium deficiency (hypocalcaemia) can occur with long-term unbalanced nutrition. Since a constant blood calcium level is particularly important, the body compensates for an undersupply. It does this by releasing calcium from the bones, the largest calcium store in the body. This breakdown of bone mass and the poorer mineralization of the bone can promote the development of rickets (children) and osteomalacia or osteoporosis (adults). Other causes of a calcium deficiency can be poor calcium absorption in the intestine (e.g. in old age, with vitamin D deficiency, estrogen deficiency, lactose intolerance or alcohol abuse) as well as increased calcium excretion.

Further information is available from: