Calcium is an important mineral for healthy teeth, bones, muscles, nerves and heart, but myths about calcium's benefits are prevalent in society. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, studies show that calcium may assist in the treatment and prevention of conditions like premenstrual syndrome, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. However, before you buy supplements and eat more dairy products, ask your doctor if increasing your calcium intake is right for you.
Insufficient Calcium
A common myth about calcium is that most people do not get enough. Calcium supplements are the fourth most consumed supplements in the United States, says Dr. Scott D. Olson, an author and naturopathic doctor. Although you may have a condition that warrants calcium supplementation, most people can get sufficient calcium from their diet. Calcium is readily available in a wide variety of foods from milk products to leafy green vegetables. It is also added to breads, soy products, cereals and orange juice.
Other Factors
Your body does require calcium for bone health, but other factors are equally, if not more, important. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. A lack of vitamin D makes calcium unusable. Exercise is also important for bone health. According to the University of Arizona, 30 minutes of daily exercise that is weight-bearing -- meaning that your muscles work against gravity -- is beneficial for bones. Overall diet affects bone health too. A high-fat, high-salt diet causes bones loss, says Dr. Olson. He recommends a primarily vegetarian diet.
Supplements
Calcium from the diet and calcium from supplements do not affect the body the same way. In a seven-year study involving 36,282 women, researchers from the Women's Health Initiative of the National Institutes of Health found that participants who took calcium supplements exhibited a 17 percent greater chance of developing kidney stones, yet women who ate higher amounts of dietary calcium were 65 percent less likely to develop kidney stones than those who ate low amounts. The control group obtained a mean amount of 1,154 milligrams of calcium from their diet daily compared to 1,148 milligrams in the supplementation group.
Bone Health
Extra calcium does not always improve bone health. A study published in the "American Academy of Pediatrics" journal in July 2000 found that teenage females experienced no additional bone mineral gain from taking calcium supplements. Females gain between 40 and 60 percent of their skeletal mass between the ages of 12 and 18; the study followed females during this time period. Furthermore, a study published in the "American Journal of Public Health" in 1997 found that women who drank two or more glasses of milk daily were almost 50 percent more likely to fracture their bones than women who drank no milk. Calcium can increase bone density, but too much causes bones to become brittle.
References
- Olson ND: Calcium Myths
- Kimberly Synder: Calcium Myths -- Debunked
- Food Network Blog: Calcium Supplement Problems, Again
- Pediatrics: Adult Female Hip Bone Density Reflects Teenage Sports-Exercise Patterns But Not Teenage Calcium Intake
- University Maryland Medical Center: Calcium
- National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases: Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age
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