Is It Safe to Take More Calcium Than Necessary to Really Reduce Osteoporosis Risk?

No one wants to have osteoporosis one day because it’s something that can weaken the bones and make them prone to breaking. You don’t want to have broken bones as it can definitely keep you from having a normal life. It’s because of this why calcium supplements are some of the most popular supplements these days.

You may be thinking about keeping osteoporosis from bugging you one day by considerably increasing your calcium intake via consuming lots and lots of calcium-rich foods and at the same time taking calcium supplements more than what’s recommended by the manufacturer.

But according to doctors, that’s a complete no-no! Just like with anything else in life, getting too much calcium can actually do more harm than good, and some of its dangers can be found below. So if you think that it’s a good idea to overdose on calcium just to fight off osteoporosis, you better think again!

Having a well-balanced diet is often enough for you to get your daily dose of calcium to keep your bones strong and have your risk of osteoporosis lowered significantly. Milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products are some of the best sources of calcium. You can also obtain this mineral from sea foods, leafy greens, legumes and some fruits.

Unfortunately, not a lot of people are consuming enough calcium-containing foods. As a result, their risk of ending up with osteoporosis becomes increased as their bones are not supplied with all the calcium they need. The amount of calcium you need to obtain per day varies according to your age and gender:

If you are 14 to 18 years old, your daily calcium intake should be 1,300 mg 

If you are 19 to 50 years old, your daily calcium intake should be 1,000 mg 

If you are a man who is 51 to 70 years old, you should get 1,000 mg of calcium daily 

If you are a woman who is 51 to 70 years old, you should get 1,200 mg of calcium daily 

If you are 71 years old and older, you should get 1,200 mg of calcium everyday 

If you are a pregnant or breastfeeding teen, your daily calcium intake should be 1,300 mg 

If you are a pregnant or breastfeeding adult, your daily calcium intake should be 1,000 mg

And what could happen if your daily calcium intake exceeds the amount that’s recommended for you? A lot! Here are some of the things that excessive amounts of calcium can bring:

Nausea and vomiting

These are the initial symptoms of calcium overdose. You experience them as your body attempts to flush excess amounts of calcium out of your system.

Drowsiness

Calcium has an impact on the transmission of messages between nerve and brain cells, and that’s why having too much calcium in your body can leave you feeling drowsy, or alter your mental status.

Weakness

Doctors say that calcium is responsible for relaxing the muscles after they contract. If there’s excessive calcium, your muscles may become too relaxed, thus leaving you feeling weak.

Kidney stones

As your kidneys attempt to remove excess calcium from the blood, calcium may clump together once inside the kidneys, causing the formation of stones.

Coma

Earlier, it was mentioned that excessive amounts of calcium may lead to altered mental status. If not managed effectively, too much calcium in the system may lead to coma.

Irregular heartbeat

Heart experts say that excessive amounts of calcium can cause arrhythmia, which is something that can be fatal if it’s not addressed promptly!

As you can see, it is definitely a terrible, terrible idea for you to take more calcium than needed just to lower your risk of osteoporosis!

If you want to keep osteoporosis at bay, make sure that you have a well-balanced diet to have your body supplied with all the calcium that it needs. If you feel that you need to take calcium supplements, ask your doctor about it first. Don’t forget the importance of getting enough sun and exercise in the prevention of osteoporosis.

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