Calcium is a mineral salt necessary for the body in particular to strengthen bones. It is not manufactured by the body and must therefore be provided by the diet. The daily dose of calcium varies with age. Deficiencies are more common in women.
Definition: What is calcium?
'Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. It is contained more than 99% in bones and teeth' informs Véronique Liesse, dietician-nutritionist. It must be provided every day through the diet, because the bones that are in perpetual renewal, lose calcium every day that must be immediately replaced. It requires vitamin D to be absorbed.
What is its role for the organization?
The main function of calcium is the mineralization of the bone. It is thus a fundamental element in the construction of the skeleton, its growth, and maintenance. It also has other very important roles for the organization. "It intervenes in blood clotting and muscle contraction, including that of the heart, has a role in nerve impulses and for the release of hormones" informs Véronique Liesse.
What is the norm in blood?
The level of calcium in the blood (called calcemia) does not indicate the amount of bone calcium, but the amount of calcium circulating in the blood. The average serum calcium in the normal population is 2.2 - 2.55mmol/L or 88-102 mg/L or 90-105 mg/L depending on the laboratory. "The level of calcium in the blood is not very interesting, except in case of very significant lack. Since the blood is constantly looking for a minimum amount of calcium, if the calcium supplied is insufficient it draws it from the bones. This is why the determination of calcium in the urine of 24 hours, which is little used on a daily basis, is more interesting' informs Véronique Liesse.
In which foods to find it?
The best sources of calcium are dairy products (milk, yogurt...) and mineral waters rich in calcium such as Hépar, Contrex. Calcium is also found in interesting quantities in almonds, whole grains, tofu, pulses (beans, beans ...), eggs, cabbages, greens, chocolate, sardines with stops, sesame seeds, pepper ...
What is the daily dose?
The daily dose of calcium varies with age. "The latest recommendations for calcium are 1000mg (1g) per day for people under 25 years of age and 950mg after 25 years, informs the dietician nutritionist. "This high need is mainly related to our rather acidifying lifestyle that makes us eliminate a lot of calcium: high consumption of coffee, salt, a diet too rich in protein, stress ...' she says. "In addition to having sufficient calcium intakes, it is very important not to eliminate it too much. If the body lacks calcium it draws reserves from the bones," says Véronique Liesse.
Calcium deficiency: what to do?
Calcium deficiency is common in women, especially postmenopausal women whose calcium needs are higher. "Calcium deficiency is quite common in growing children and adolescents," adds Véronique Liesse. The management of the deficiency depends on the cause. If you have a calcium deficiency due to a lack of coverage of intakes, you must increase your calcium intake: dairy products (non-fat because lipids limit the absorption of calcium, cabbage, sardines with stops, mineral waters rich in calcium. At the same time, we must try not to eliminate too much: not too much coffee, sodas, meat, salt, reduce stress.
How to measure your rate?
To see if there is a calcium deficiency, the dosage that is carried out is that of calcium in, urine (calciuria of 24h). "The calcium eliminated is representative: if we eliminate too much it is because we have enough, if we eliminate little calcium it means that the body keeps everything and that it lacks it," explains the dietician.
Calcium supplementation: in which cases?
"Supplementation is calcium is prescribed to postmenopausal women whose bone osteodensitometry has shown osteoporosis or osteopenia (stage before osteoporosis), with supplementation with vitamin K, vitamin D," says Véronique Liesse. There may also be calcium supplementation if the calcium deficiency is related to pathology (hypothyroidism for example). "Supplementation is usually 500 to 900 mg per day," says the dietician. 'Do not self-medicate because excess calcium can be deposited in the soft tissues, whose arteries' recommends the dietician.
Thanks to Véronique Liesse, dietician-nutritionist, author of Le grand livre de l'alimentation énergie, Editions Leduc. s, 2019.
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