Calcium and Magnesium

[yesterday]

I've read there will be increasing health issues in future because of people's bad diets. Everyone knows they need calcium for their bones but even so millions of people aren't getting enough calcium. The situation with magnesium is even worse because people don't hear the message that they need magnesium as much as calcium. Do you think people should be taking calcium and magnesium supplements for good health or finding some other way of boosting the amount of calcium and magnesium in their bodies?

[WillDo]

My mother has osteoperosis and yes I think it's vital that people should get more education about calcium and magnesium.

A correct balance of calcium and magnesium can help keep osteoporosis, heart disease, blood pressure, depression, and anxiety at bay.

if you are taking the wrong balance of calcium and magnesium, you may be creating a harmful vicious cycle. Calcium intake which is too high blocks magnesium absorption. And magnesium is needed to carry calcium into your bones. Bones can become more fragile from too much calcium, while high magnesium levels help create stronger bones. You should consider taking 500 mg each of calcium and magnesium. And then gradually increase your magnesium (up to a total of 1,000 mg/day) until you have comfortably loose stools.

http://www.healthy.net/scr/Column.aspx?Id=630

Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps maintain normal muscle and nerve function, keeps heart rhythm steady, supports a healthy immune system, and keeps bones strong. Magnesium also helps regulate blood sugar levels, promotes normal blood pressure, and is known to be involved in energy metabolism and protein synthesis.

http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/magnesium/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3...?dopt=Abstract

Saris NE, Mervaala E, Karppanen H, Khawaja JA, Lewenstam A. Magnesium: an update on physiological, clinical, and analytical aspects. Clinica Chimica Acta 2000;294:1-26.

[NanoMachine]

Ideally you should be getting calcium and magnesium from eating a good diet. I tend to resort to supplements during times I don't eat well (read cola and junk food), which happens if I'm working like crazy on something. Obviously milk, yogurt and cheese are great for calcium. For magnesium, yogurt's pretty good and milk is okay. Salmon, nuts and sesame are better. Oatmeal is good and so are most wheat based cereals. Pumpkin seeds are meant to be excellent.

[thor3436]

calcium can also combine with phosphorus in your food
and the calcium not be absorbed
i wonder how that works ????

[jeffy]

Yes, it's the same with iron and calcium. I remember my anemic sister being told that if she ate a steak she should drink orange juice with it because the vitamin C helps the body absorb iron from the meat. The calcium in milk does the opposite and blocks the iron.

[thor3436]

theres alot of reactions with calcium that
will not let other things be absorbed into the body