Doctor's Choice
Guard against bone loss with a daily dose of calcium.
Calcium is the key constituent of healthy teeth and bones. People whose diets are deficient in calcium are likely to develop osteoporosis caused by a loss of bone density. Since Asian diets may be lacking in calcium, which is commonly found in dairy products, it is useful to take a supplement. It is particularly recommended for the elderly, women and teenagers as well as people on a diet, who may not be meeting their daily needs through food alone.
The primary function of calcium is to build the bones and teeth and to maintain bone density. Other functions include enabling blood clotting; muscle contraction and relaxation, especially the heartbeat; helping nerves to transmit electrical pulses; maintaining cell wall permeability; enzyme activation; and secretion of a number of hormones and hormone-releasing factors. Without an adequate intake of calcium, the bones become brittle and thin, causing a condition called osteoporosis. It is particularly important that growing children get adequate calcium in their diet while their bones are being formed, and it is an important mineral too for women who have gone through the menopause, and who are therefore most at risk from developing brittle bones due to changes in their hormones.
