What is the body's calcium requirement?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Nguyen Hong Phuc - Emergency Resuscitation Doctor, Emergency Resuscitation Department - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital. The doctor has nearly 20 years of experience in Emergency Resuscitation.

Calcium is an indispensable component in the body of every person, deficiency or excess of calcium causes medical conditions. So what is the daily calcium requirement? And how to properly supplement calcium?

Calcium is an important element in the human body, accounting for 1.5 - 2% of body weight. Of which 99% calcium exists in bones, teeth, nails, only 1% calcium exists in blood, cells and extracellular matrix.
In the body calcium plays an important role in nerve activity and muscle contraction, this is essential for the development of teeth and bones, blood clotting, nerve impulse transmission, and hormone secretion. , regulate heart rate as well as the height growth of children. Calcium deficiency will lead to cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, kidney stones,... Excess calcium is very rare, but when taking calcium pills in high doses and for a long time, it can lead to side effects such as kidney stones, increased blood calcium, kidney failure,...

The body always needs a certain amount of calcium throughout all stages of life. Calcium requirements increase during childhood growth, pregnancy and lactation.
The body's calcium requirements are determined by the correlation with phosphorus: the desired Ca/P ratio is at least > 0.8 for all ages, preferably 1 - 1.5, especially for with children . The recommended daily calcium requirements according to age, sex and physiological status are as follows;

You should choose a varied diet of calcium-rich foods such as shrimp, crab, fish, soybeans, milk, dairy products, etc. Milk and dairy products are sources of these nutrients. as important as protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals. Limit the use of coffee, alcohol and salt because they are not conducive to the absorption of calcium Ensure adequate protein intake as recommended, if eating too many protein-containing foods will lead to calcium deficiency, in addition to increases the risk of kidney stones. Absolutely do not starve because it will cause phosphate in the body to decrease, causing low calcium. In particular, you should not use calcium supplements without a doctor's prescription. Calcium has a very important role for the body, especially it is necessary to pay attention to calcium supplements for women throughout pregnancy and also when breastfeeding, with children in the developing stage. Understanding the body's calcium needs is very important, helping us to adjust our lifestyle and diet accordingly to make sure we don't have too much or too little calcium.