Source: Hidak
Calcium is a component of bones and teeth and regulates muscle and nerve function. There are times when calcium intake is particularly important among people of all ages. These are ‘growth’ and ‘old age’.
The most important ‘growth period’ for maximum bone mass
The bones of our body go through the most active period before and after puberty and have the maximum bone mass and maximum bone density as adults. 45-50% of adult bone mass is accumulated during childhood and adolescence. Therefore, it is very important to avoid insufficient calcium intake at this time. In addition, since bone formation is more active than bone dissolution during the growth phase, the blood calcium concentration must be sufficient for calcium to be deposited well in the bones. In particular, calcium is best accumulated during infancy, during the first year of life, and calcium absorption is relatively high during puberty.
‘Old age’, when calcium is lost the most
Contrary to the growth period, in menopause and old age, calcium absorption rate decreases and the elution of calcium in the bones is more active, so calcium should be well supplemented to prevent bone weakness. In particular, after menopause, as the secretion of estrogen, the female hormone, decreases, osteoclasts increase relatively, shortening the lifespan of bone cells and accelerate osteoporosis. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement calcium well at this time.
How Much Calcium Should You Intake per Day?
It is recommended to consume about 250~1,000mg (4 glasses of milk) per day during infancy and 900~3,000mg (13 glasses of milk) during adolescence. During menopause and old age, it is recommended to consume 800 to 2,000 mg (9 glasses of milk) of calcium per day. As with all nutrients, calcium cannot be obtained from just one food. A variety of calcium sources should be used when making a meal plan. Representative calcium source foods include loach, anchovies, milk, and cheese, and dried seaweed also contains a lot of calcium.
Help = Hydak Nutrition Counseling Seongwon Yoon (nutritionist)