Are you taking calcium supplements for bone health?

If you look closely at the bones, they resemble reinforced concrete structures. Collagen, a protein component, acts as the rebar, while minerals such as calcium serve as the cement.

 

Minerals provide stiffness to bones, allowing them to withstand weight, while collagen enhances toughness, resisting external forces and preventing fractures [1]. Therefore, collagen is more important than calcium in creating strong, fracture-resistant bones.

Of course, the idea that calcium is unrelated to bone health is not true. Calcium is definitely necessary for our body.

 

So, how much calcium should be consumed per day? The standards vary by country; for example, the UK recommends 700mg/day for adults, while the US suggests 1200mg/day, showing a significant difference [3].

 

The range is roughly 500 to 1000 mg per day, and since there is no absolute standard, there is no need to obsess over that number. This is because the calcium concentration in our body is automatically regulated within a certain range by 'homeostasis' [4].

 

The calcium concentration in our blood is regulated by parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, and calcitonin. When calcium-deficient foods are consumed over a long period, causing blood calcium levels to drop, the parathyroid hormone is secreted, activating vitamin D to promote calcium absorption in the intestines and suppressing calcium excretion in the kidneys.

 

Conversely, when foods high in calcium are consumed over a long period and blood calcium levels rise, the thyroid gland secretes calcitonin, which reduces calcium absorption in the intestines and promotes calcium excretion in the kidneys. In other words, it lowers calcium levels to automatically maintain a constant calcium concentration.

Therefore, since our body automatically regulates calcium levels without us arbitrarily adjusting calcium intake, there is essentially no need to worry about calcium deficiency. However, unless a person has hypoparathyroidism as a side effect after thyroid surgery or has undergone gastrointestinal surgery that affects calcium absorption, there is no reason to take calcium supplements separately [5].

 

However, this is very rare. In most cases, calcium deficiency never occurs in healthy individuals who have a normal diet. So, let's no longer worry about 'calcium deficiency'.

 

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The risk of osteoporosis increases with age.

I looked into taking calcium supplements.

However, since most calcium supplements cause gastrointestinal issues, I am hesitant, but I think taking collagen rather than calcium would be better for building bones.

I came across the information and changed my mind.