When osteoporosis strikes, it isn’t pretty. It can weaken our spine and cause an uncomfortable stoop, it can hinder our movement and prevent us from enjoying our favorite activities, and it can increase the risk of fracture. The ramifications of neglecting bone health can be very scary. So what can we do?

Get your daily calcium to protect your bones from weakening.

Don’t wait until you need hip or spine surgery to learn that you should have kept your bones strong and healthy through having taken enough calcium all those early years.

Women aged 25 to 50 require 1000mg of calcium per day with 400i.u. of vitamin D3, which helps with calcium absorption.

Calcium citrate is absorbed equally well when taken with or without food and is a form recommended for individuals with low stomach acid (more common in individuals 50 and older, or if taking stomach acid blockers),or suffering from inflammatory bowel disease or absorption disorders.

The functions of calcium include the following:

- Building bones and teeth:
Calcium gives bones and teeth strength and hardness. Although bones appear to be rock hard and static, in reality, bone tissue changes constantly as calcium (and other minerals) move in and out – a process called remodeling.

- Controlling muscle function and maintaining good heartbeat:
Muscle tissue in the heart, require calcium in order to contract and relax normally.

- Transmitting nerve impulses:
Calcium is needed for a nerve cell to transmit its messages to other nerves or to muscles. In addition, the calcium inside cells transmits messages to special receptors. Some of these messages are instrumental in controlling blood pressure and other body functions.

- Promoting blood clotting and wound healing:
Calcium is one of fourteen essential factors that are directly involved in the formation of blood clots and start the process of wound healing.

- Miscellaneous other function:
Acts as a coenzyme in various metabolic activities, controls the permeability of membranes to allow nutrients to pass through cell walls and helps synthesize hormones and enzymes necessary for digestion. Recent research indicates that calcium may also protect against colon cancer.