Page 21 - Seniors Today June2020
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Calcium supplements
Calcium needs are generally best met
through diet. However, calcium supplements
may be required by those who do not obtain
adequate calcium from food products to
meet the 1,000-1,300mg per day required
for girls and women.
Most calcium supplements in Australia
contain: The body’s main source of vitamin D comes from sunlight,
calcium carbonate (sold as caltrate) or which reacts with the skin and produces the vitamin
calcium citrate (sold as citracal) Vitamin D
Vitamin D has many important roles in
Calcium carbonate the body including helping with calcium
Caltrate requires an acidic environment for absorption, cell growth and maintaining a
maximum absorption and should be taken healthy immune system to fight disease and
with meals. illness. Find out about these important roles
as well as vitamin D deficiency, how to test
Calcium citrate for vitamin D deficiency and where to get
Calcium citrate does not require an acidic vitamin D.
environment and therefore can be taken on
an empty stomach (but is better taken with The importance of vitamin D
food). It is the preferred calcium product Vitamin D is essential for bone health. It
for people who need to take anti-reflux helps increase the absorption of calcium
medications. from the stomach, regulates the amount of
calcium in the blood and strengthens the
When to take calcium supplements skeleton.
It is best to take calcium supplements The main source of vitamin D is production
at night, as this is when bone ‘turnover’ in the skin after exposure to sunlight. Small
increases. amounts of vitamin D are available in some
High dose calcium supplements may be foods. For vitamin D to work effectively it
linked with heart disease. Beneficial effects needs to be activated by the liver and kidney,
of calcium are found with relatively low which then turns it into a hormone.
doses (500-600mg). Elderly individuals and Vitamin D has many roles within the
others with impaired kidney function may body. The most understood role is its
be at higher risk of cardiovascular disease. ability to help the body absorb calcium and
phosphorus and vitamin D also assists with
bone development and strength, cell growth,
maintaining a healthy immune system,
hormone function, and nervous system
regulation.
Apart from its important role in
maintaining bone health, vitamin D may
Calcium supplements may be required by those who do
not obtain adequate calcium from food products also have an important role in other diseases
SENIORS TODAY | ISSUE #12 | JUNE 2020 21
