Equipping People To Make Sense Of What They Are Told
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, calcium makes up more than 90%
of the hard matter in the bones and teeth.. It combines with phosphorus to form a
compound known as calcium phosphate which is incorporated into the bone where it
bonds with a latticework of fibrous protein.
Most of the body’s calcium is stored in the bone and teeth. Bone is a dynamic part
of the body, and calcium is constantly flowing in and out of it. A small amount of
calcium circulates in the blood stream.
When calcium is required elsewhere in the body it is withdrawn from the bones by
a hormonal mechanism. Outside of the bones and away from phosphorus calcium becomes
soluble and takes part in various actions.
Involved in:
Assists with lowering cholesterol, muscular growth, the prevention of muscle cramps.
Assists with protein structuring in DNA and RNA.
Assists with providing energy, breaking down fats, maintaining proper cell membrane
permeability.
Assists in neuromuscular activity.
Blood clotting and stabilising many body functions.
Has a calming affect in the body.
Prevents lead from being absorbed into bone.
Formation and maintenance of bones, the development of teeth and healthy gums.
Helps to keep the skin healthy.
Maintaining a regular heartbeat and the transmission of nerve impulses.
To much calcium:
Calcium absorption and its use within the body is regulated by a gland that lies
adjacent to the thyroid gland in the neck, called the parathyroid gland which secretes
parathyroid hormone. Too much or too little calcium can be linked to significant
medical problems of a varying nature.
The symptoms of having too much calcium in the bloodstream include:
Tiredness.
Loss of appetite.
Vomiting.
Diarrhoea leading to dehydration and thirst.
An irregular heart beat can be a factor as can low blood pressure and in the most
severe situations, people affected by high blood serum calcium levels can become
very confused, and at may experience fits and loss of consciousness.
Note
Chronic kidney disease may result in an imbalance, as may inactivity.
Occasionally the calcium levels increase if there is a malfunction of the parathyroid
glands leading to their over-activity.
As a supplement:
Best to have one to two parts of calcium and phosphorus to one part of magnesium.
Vitamin D, vitamin A and vitamin K are beneficial with calcium also an advantage
when taking a supplement that it is chelated with amino acids.
Increasing calcium intake through supplements and ignoring it’s interaction with
other minerals will confer little or no health benefits and may cause health dangers.
Chloride An important electrolyte in the blood. Chloride helps keep the amount of
fluid inside and outside of the cells in balance. It also helps maintain proper blood
volume, blood pressure, and pH of body fluids.
Involved in:
Controlling the flow of fluid in blood vessels and tissues (in conjunction with sodium
and potassium).
Forms part of hydrochloric acid in the stomach.
Regulating acidity in the body.
The amount of chloride in the blood is carefully controlled by the kidneys.
Electrolytes - minerals found naturally in the body, such as potassium, calcium,
sodium, and magnesium.
Electrolytes are needed to keep the body's balance of fluids at the proper level
and to maintain normal functions, such as:
Heart rhythm
Muscle contraction
Brain function.
pH - a measure of the acidic or basic (alkaline) nature of a solution. The pH scale
ranges from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most basic)
