Calcium is good for your bones, but eating too much of it can harm your health.

Calcium helps maintain bone health, so it is often taken as a nutritional supplement by postmenopausal women and the elderly, who are at high risk for osteoporosis. However, no matter how good something is, too much of it is bad. Taking too much calcium can lead to side effects.

 

Calcium is an essential element of the skeleton, regulating nerve and muscle function and maintaining normal heart function. It also helps prevent bone loss and alleviate symptoms in patients with osteoporosis. It is also useful in treating hyperphosphatemia, a condition characterized by elevated levels of phosphorus, a mineral that forms bone. Patients with hyperphosphatemia experience calcium loss from their bones, weakening them and making them prone to fractures.

However, excessive calcium intake can cause side effects. Calcium is a "threshold nutrient" that causes problems when taken in amounts exceeding the required amount. A representative side effect of excessive calcium intake is hypercalciuria. Hypercalciuria is the most common cause of urinary stones in adults.

 

It can cause abdominal pain, hematuria, urinary difficulties, frequent urination, and proteinuria. In fact, according to the Korean Pharmaceutical Association's Regional Drug Safety Center, 33% of 163 healthy postmenopausal women aged 57 to 85 who consistently took calcium and vitamin D supplements for more than a year were diagnosed with suspected hypercalciuria. Additionally, poor digestion and absorption can lead to gastrointestinal problems or constipation.

 

To avoid side effects like hypercalciuria, it's important to maintain your daily calcium intake. The Korean Society for Bone and Bone Research recommends a daily intake of 800-1,000 mg. Since Koreans typically consume less than 500 mg of calcium through food, a calcium supplement of 300-500 mg is sufficient. It's recommended that total daily calcium intake, including dietary intake, not exceed 1,200 mg.

 

Meanwhile, if you have a bone-related disease such as osteoporosis, you should be more careful about your calcium intake. . Especially if you're taking osteoporosis medication, you should avoid taking calcium supplements indiscriminately. Many osteoporosis patients are prescribed calcium supplements concurrently, eliminating the need for additional supplements. If you're considering taking calcium supplements, it's recommended to consult a doctor or pharmacist before taking them.

 

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This is my first time hearing about it.

Hypercalciuria..

You can't take too much calcium.

 

You need to know about nutritional supplements and take them properly.

 

I don't really have any... I just eat multi-tasking