Did you know that calcium is very important to good muscle health? Calcium is not only an important mineral for healthy bones and teeth but also vital to muscle contraction. Not enough of it can lead to more frequent muscle cramps and spasms.
Daily Calcium intake that is recommended for adults are as follows: For pre-menopausal women 25-50 years old and post-menopausal women on estrogen replacement therapy: 1,000-1,200 milligrams of calcium per day. 1,500 milligrams of calcium per day is recommended for pregnant or lactating women.
Buuuuut many foods and drugs we eat/take interfere with calcium absorption that we are not aware of.
Substances That Interfere with Calcium Absorption:
- Oxalates reduce calcium absorption (examples of foods high in oxalate are: spinach, rhubarb and beet greens)
- Phytate Sodium (example of a foods high in phytate are: 100% wheat bran, pinto beans, navy beans and peas). You can reduce the phytate level in beans or legumes by soaking them in water for several hours, discarding the water, and then cooking them in fresh water. If you eat wheat bran, take your calcium 2-4 hours before or after eating 100% wheat bran.
- Protein (Our daily calcium requirement increases with diets too high in animal protein)
- Caffeine (Excess caffeine interferes with calcium absorption) You can counteract excess caffeine by adding milk to your drink, or extra calcium to your routine of drinking caffeinated beverages.
- Sodium (Excess sodium inhibits calcium absorption)
- Vitamin D deficiency (inhibits calcium absorption)
- Tetracycline (calcium may reduce absorption of this antibiotic)
- Iron Supplements (calcium should not be taken at the same time as iron)
- Thyroid hormones (take calcium 4 hours apart from thyroid hormones)
- Medications taken on an empty stomach (these medications should not be taken at the same time as calcium)
- Proton Pump Inhibitors (such as Prevacid®, Prilosec®, and Nexium® interact with calcium). Because these medications block stomach acid, you may better absorb these with calcium citrate which does not need stomach acid for absorption.
http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/76444/103055/medications/