Top Reasons Why Calcium Is Essential For Your Health

Calcium is an essential element responsible for building your bone structure, strong teeth, and fetal development. It is also needed to keep muscles strong, maintain the circulatory system, and manage the digestive process. Without calcium, your muscles would not contract, nerve transmission is disabled, and your blood could not clot. In the body, calcium acts as an electrolyte and is necessary for the perseverance of blood cells. Calcium binds together with the proteins and enzymes in your body to keep cells functioning. It should be consumed daily to ensure optimal health and homeostasis. Although salmon, beans, seeds, and tofu are rich in calcium, dairy products are also efficient. To make sure you get your adequate intake of this mineral, add eggs, milk, and cheese to your diet whenever possible.

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Builds And Maintains Bones

Your body needs calcium because it builds and maintains bones. The skeletal system contains cells that require an appropriate level of calcium to function. The element is absorbed into your bones where it helps to create new bone and restructure old bone. It also guards against developing bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteopenia. The lack of this mineral can also lead to hypocalcemia, a medical condition that causes muscle spasms, seizures, and cardiac arrest. When you get older, your bones tend to become weaker and more susceptible to injuries.

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that weakens bones and causes them to break prematurely. This condition is mostly seen in the elderly and affects the bone mass. Patients with this disease suffer from broken bones in their forearms, hips, wrists, and spines more frequently than healthy individuals. There are typically not any symptoms until a broken bone occurs, or there is a vertebral collapse caused by the condition. The fractures from weakened bones can contribute to decreased mobility and mortality.

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Keeps Teeth Strong

The consumption of calcium keeps teeth strong and makes your jawbones healthy too. Your teeth are made up of several layers and are essential for chewing food. Calcium, as you likely know, is vital to the development of a strong jaw bone and hard teeth. A firm jaw bone holds your teeth in place and helps you maintain a glowing smile. Without calcium, your teeth would break easily and fall out of the socket. Calcium, along with vitamin D and phosphorus, assist with the formation of teeth and the preservation of healthy gums. If you do not have enough calcium in your body, it can lead to a reduction in enamel and cavities.

Your teeth contain a substance called crystalline calcium phosphate, which needs a constant supply of calcium to maintain strength. When cavities form, they become fallible and create defects in teeth. The enamel develops holes that trap food and bacteria that break down your teeth. A dentist can fix this issue, but it is recommended to try to prevent tooth decay in the first place. Preventing cavities consist of having a healthy diet, flossing, and brushing your teeth daily.

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Fetal Development

If you are pregnant, consuming calcium will help your baby develop strong bones and teeth. During fetal development, the fetus is forming and needs vitamins and minerals to grow into a healthy baby. Besides building strong bones, this element is needed to prevent a congenital disability. It assists with the creation of the nervous system, heart, muscles, and blood clotting capabilities. You can ensure you get the right amount of calcium in your diet by eating dark leafy vegetables, dairy, fortified cereal, or by taking a supplement.

When this mineral is missing from your diet during pregnancy, your baby has the risk of developing a medical condition called congenital diaphragmatic hernia, which is birth defect directly linked to the mother’s lack of calcium during pregnancy. When a child is born with this defect, they have an opening in the diaphragm, allowing the abdominal contents to enter into the chest cavity. The small intestine pushes on the heart and lungs, and the liver is partially inserted into the chest. Expectant mothers are advised to eat a well-balanced diet when pregnancy and include foods rich in calcium.

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Helps Our Cells

The cells in your body make up your body's structure, and consumes nutrients and converts them accordingly. They make up all living things and carry genetic material passed down through generations. Each cell contains mitochondria, cytoplasm, mitochondria, ribosomes, and a nucleus, as well as a plasma membrane, cytoskeleton, lysosomes, and Golgi apparatus. The cell membrane is made of plasma and acts as a protective barrier for the cell, which manages the movement of substances that come in and out of the cell and takes in transmissions from other cells. The membrane also acts as a receptor in between cells and allows it to move, secrete, and absorb nutrients.

Calcium helps our cells and is necessary for the activation of enzymes and transporting ion across the cell membrane. It also permits the cell to send and receive neurotransmitters between cells. The presence of calcium ensures the signals between cells are accurate and neurotransmitters release neurons. It is stored in the mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum parts of the cell where it is released when needed by the body.

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Necessary For Different Systems In The Body

Calcium is necessary for different systems in the body and is an essential part of a healthy diet, as it helps your body maintain a regular heartbeat and builds the skeletal system. This mineral enables message transmission between nerve signals and handles hormone distribution in your body. If you do not get enough the element, you can experience muscle spasms, brittle nails, weak bones, and depression.

Vitamin D is found in your gut and helps calcium be absorbed into the body so you must make sure you get enough of it as well. It is recommended to eat fatty fish such as mackerel, salmon, and tuna to get your vitamin D intake. You should also consume foods high in calcium, including collard greens, yogurt, and cheese, along with these items.