While the most abundant mineral in our bodies, calcium deficiency is a worldwide silent pandemic. Calcium makes up around two percent of our weight. 99% of this calcium is located in our bones and teeth, and the remaining one percent flows into our bloodstream or is stored in the tissues.
Although calcium is most famous as a bone-building mineral, its other roles include regulating muscle contraction and relaxation, blood clotting, and nervous system message transmission. Our body has two ways to obtain the required calcium for these functions: foods and supplements.
While the most famous calcium-dense foods are animal-based, calcium deficiency is a concern with almost any diet. Although third world countries are most at risk of deficiencies, the calcium deficiency rates in western countries are not appealing either, with over 73%of females and 51% of males consuming less than the recommended values.
The calcium in our Daily Essential Women and Daily Essential Men is carefully measured to balance the amount you get from your daily diet, helping you maintain strong bones. Your heart, muscles, and nerves also need calcium to function properly. Some studies suggest that calcium paired with vitamin D has benefits beyond bone health: protecting against cancer, diabetes, and high blood pressure.
Our ingredient blends have the highest possible bioavailability to maximize absorption and results.
Heart health and blood pressure
Its role in muscle contraction, blood clotting, and the transformation of nervous system messages make calcium a vital factor for cardiovascular health.
Several small studies have identified links between calcium deficiency and high blood pressure. While further research is still required, calcium supplementation is a potential treatment for blood hypertension.
On the other hand, while calcium can affect the heart’s contractions and beating, research has raised concern on the matter of calcium over intake’s negative impact on heart health. Studies found that high-dose calcium supplements increase the risk of calcium intoxication, which causes arteries to harden, blood to clot, and ultimately the risk of heart events.
While you may want to consult your doctor before consuming any high-dose supplementation, Sanbera ensures the dosage safety of all its supplements. The calcium in Sanbera products is combined with vitamin D, magnesium, and folic acid to give your heart the ultimate health boost.
Bone density
Your skeleton is alive. As a living organ, your bones are constantly being “remodeled”. This means that old bones are constantly resorbed while new bones are being built. Calcium and magnesium are the building blocks of bones, and bones act as their storage.
In healthy individuals under thirty, who exercise and receive the appropriate calcium values daily, bone production surpasses bone destruction. But after that, “negative calcium balance” overtakes and threatens bone density.
Menopause decreases the rate of hormones required for bone production and causes a heavier negative calcium balance in women. While consuming more calcium through your diet can improve bone loss, it might not be a solution, as calcium is hard to digest and absorb.
Here in Sanbera, loss of bone density is a problem actively thought about. Our calcium is extracted from sources with the highest bioavailability and paired with vitamin D to maximize absorption to protect your bones to the fullest, helping you perform at your 100% best.
Calcium and vitamin D
No matter how much calcium you consume daily, without the proper amounts of it, your body will not be able to absorb any. Our digestive system is so bad at breaking down and absorbing calcium that less than 20% of the calcium we eat is usually absorbed. Without vitamin D, the body cannot metabolize and regulate calcium.
When calcium levels are suboptimal, the body extracts some from the bones. Then is an ongoing process that is currently happening in the body: a chemical extracted from vitamin D is used to help the gut absorb calcium until the levels are balanced.
When the body is vitamin D deficient, it faces problems digesting calcium. It may also cause issues balancing the calcium levels by resorbing the calcium stored in the skeleton, leading to more bone cell destruction and a loss of bone density.
Calcium and diet
The optimal way to obtain calcium is by consuming it through your diet. While dairy is famous for containing high levels of calcium, dark leafy greens, such as spinach and broccoli, soybeans, and tofu, are all vegan-friendly alternatives.
The biggest reason behind calcium deficiency is not that calcium is hard to access but the fact that it is hard to digest. Due to its large size, calcium is hard to break down and absorb in the gut.
Furthermore, as we age, our digestive system weakens, and absorption becomes harder. So, to ensure that you are receiving the optimal calcium values, you should not only consider the amount of calcium listed on the Nutrition Facts labels of a product but its bioavailability. For example, while milk appears to provide you with 300mg of calcium per cup, our bodies can absorb and use only 100mg of it. Some foods have higher calcium bioavailability than others. Fortunately for vegans, although the leafy greens may have less calcium volume, we can absorb more of it. One cup of bok choy offers around 160mg of calcium, and half of that amount is absorbed.
A colourful diet brings the best results. Nutrients are not independent, but they work as a team. The amount of vitamin D and B vitamins in your diet directly impacts your digestive system’s health and the amount of calcium you absorb.
Some other calcium-dense foods include:
- Leafy greens such as kale, mustard, and spinach
- Almonds
- Boned salmon, sardines
- Winter squash
- Dairy products
- Edamame and tofu
Supplementation
Highly dosed calcium supplementation should not be taken without a doctor’s prescription, as calcium intoxication can cause serious problems. But supplementing low to average doses might not be a bad idea considering the worldwide deficiency rates.
The groups most at risk of calcium deficiency include children, teenagers, the elderly, and menopausal women. Those with digestive problems or conditions that may cause malnourishment are at a greater risk of calcium deficiency.
Although vegans can make up for the calcium in dairy with the various plant-based alternatives, those who cannot afford to monitor their diet might also consider supplementation.
As a Swiss brand, Sanbera supplements keep in check with reality by meeting modern dietary needs while preparing for a better future through a sustainable approach. Our 100% vegan formulas are designed with organic ingredients from potent plants and fruits. Maximizing bioavailability is an asset of our plant-based formula, delivering optimal results that last and get better with time.