Your bones are living tissue, and although they stop growing in young adulthood, they do not stop developing and repairing themselves when injured. Your muscles and nerves work with your bones to help you move, experience the sensation of feeling and help regulate other important biological functions. Calcium and magnesium are important minerals you need daily to support your skeletal and cardiovascular health.
Relationship Between Calcium and Magnesium
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body, and magnesium is the fourth most abundant. Both significantly contribute to bone health, with nearly 99 percent of your calcium supply and 50 percent of total body magnesium stored in bones. These two minerals are also essential electrolytes, which help maintain adequate fluid balance in your body. Electrolytes also prevent muscle spasms and irregular heartbeat, and help keep your blood pressure low. Adequate levels of magnesium in your body regulate your nerve functions by preventing calcium from bombarding nerve cells so they stay relaxed and reduce the risk of your muscles over-contracting. The balance between calcium and magnesium is especially important if you are an athlete, to ensure that your body repairs itself quickly and can perform at optimal levels.
Daily Calcium Dosage
Adults between the ages of 19 and 50 should consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily. As you age, your bone mass deteriorates, and your risk of osteoporosis, the thinning and weakening of bone tissue, increases. After 50, you should raise your calcium intake to 1,200 mg per day. Men and women alike are vulnerable to bone mass loss, but women tend to be at higher risk for osteoporosis after menopause. In addition to calcium, you need adequate daily vitamin D, which helps your body absorb calcium properly. The recommended vitamin D intake is 400 to 1,000 IU per day, notes MayoClinic.com.
Daily Magnesium Dosage
The recommended dietary allowance for magnesium in adults between age 19 and 30 is 310 to 400 mg per day. After age 30, increase your magnesium intake to 320 to 420 mg daily. If you are taking a magnesium supplement, however, do not exceed the upper limit of 350 mg per day, notes the Linus Pauling Institute. You are most susceptible to magnesium deficiency if you are on diuretic medications or have problems with nutrient absorption from Crohn's disease. Do not take a magnesium supplement without consulting your physician.
Food Sources
A healthy and well-balanced diet meets most of your calcium and magnesium needs. Calcium-rich foods include dairy, which yields 297 mg per 8 oz. serving of reduced-fat milk, 415 mg in 8 oz. of low-fat yogurt and 306 mg in 1.5 oz. of cheddar cheese. Nondairy sources of calcium include 1/2 cup of raw broccoli, at 21 mg; 1/2 cup of cooked spinach at 120 mg and one cup of fortified cereal, with up to 1,000 mg of calcium. Sources of magnesium include nuts such as almonds and cashews, with a 1 oz. serving providing 50 to 80 mg of calcium. Kidney or pinto beans, at a 1/2 cup serving, provide 35 mg of magnesium, and dairy such as reduced-fat yogurt or milk provides 27 to 45 mg of magnesium per serving.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- Think Muscle: Magnesium -- The Multi-Purpose Mineral
- Linus Pauling Institute: Magnesium
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Magnesium
- "Journal of the American College of Nutrition"; "Nutrition in Bone Health Revisited; A Story Behind Calcium"; Jasminka Ilich et al; June 20, 2000
- MayoClinic.com: Osteoporosis Prevention
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