Why Calcium Is Good for Your Body

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You probably know that calcium is good for you—who could miss years of advertisements with Hollywood elite sporting milk mustaches?

But in reality, you’re probably murky on the details as to why it’s so important, and like many people, you may not be getting enough calcium in your diet.

One reason may be because milk isn’t your favorite beverage—whether you’re lactose intolerant or you just plain don’t like it. But there are lots of different ways to get the calcium you need, and you may be surprised how important it is for your health.

Yes, calcium is key for the health of your bones and teeth, but it also affects your muscles, hormones, nerve function, and ability to form blood clots. Plus, research has suggested that calcium may play a role in warding off other problems like PMS, high blood pressure, cancer, and even weight gain.


Calcium 101
Calcium is the most common mineral found in the body and is required for the formation of bones and for bodily functions like muscle contractions and blood clotting.

Almost all the calcium in our bodies is stored in the bones and teeth. While bones feel rock hard, they’re actually living tissue that is constantly in flux; new bone is being created while old bone is destroyed.

When you’re young, the process is skewed toward bone creation, and you have increasing bone density as you age, peaking at about age 30. After that, the process reaches equilibrium in adulthood. Then, as we age, the process can tip toward destruction, which can result in less dense, weaker bones.

So where does calcium come in? By having an adequate intake of calcium, you’re giving your body the building blocks to fuel all its important functions, as well as to knit new bone tissue. If you don’t get enough calcium, the body will “steal” calcium that’s stored in bones to make sure it has enough to meet the body’s needs.

The recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams per day for people ages 9 and up.

But guess what? Many of us fall short. A recent Institute of Medicine report found that, while the majority of people do get enough calcium, girls ages 9-18 are the exception.

In addition, a University of Maryland study found calcium intake to be too low for most people, particularly young women.

The study found the average consumption in girls ages 9 to 18 to be about 814 milligrams daily. While women between 40 and 59 years of age increased their consumption over time, intake in children 6 to 11 years old dropped.

Chad Deal, MD, the director of the Cleveland Clinic Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease, recommends that people take calcium supplements in two doses of 500 to 600 milligrams, for a total of 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams daily.

The body has difficulty absorbing more than that at one time and any excess will be excreted. Studies have shown that there is an increased risk of kidney stones in individuals who may be getting too much calcium (called hypercalcemia), but because of the way the body absorbs the mineral, this is a rare occurrence, says Dr. Deal