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Calcium will also assist weight loss efforts

• The body becomes calcium deficient as it ages
• Calcium is necessary for bone formation and maintenance
• Regulates heart rhythm, nerve transmission, and muscle contraction
• Lowers blood pressure by up to 10 points
• Relieves insomnia, nervousness, and irritability
• Relieves muscle cramping, especially in the lower extremities
• Easily absorbable, does not require stomach acid or enzymes for its absorption
• Great alternative to hard-to-swallow tablets or capsules
• Taste and smell great
• Dissolves quickly for speedy delivery into bloodstream

Dosage

Take 1 tablet at a time, at least 2 hours apart. Take the necessary number of tablets recommended by your doctor throughout the day, but not all at one time.

Science

Calcium plays a critical role in the body. It is essential for normal functioning of nerves, cells, muscle and bone. Calcium supplements are used to treat or prevent low blood calcium levels. Calcium may be prescribed for treatment of osteoporosis (bone loss), osteomalacia (brittle bones), rickets, tetany, and parathyroid disease. Vitamin D3 is necessary for the body~s ability to transport ingested Calcium from the gut.

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. Of the body~s total Calcium, about 99% is in the bones and teeth where it plays a structural role. The remaining 1% is present in body tissues and fluids where it is essential for cell metabolism, muscle contraction and nerve impulse transmission.

The main function of Calcium is structural. The skeleton of a young adult male contains about 1.2 kg of Calcium. There is continuous movement of Calcium between the skeleton and blood and other parts of the body. This is finely controlled by hormones. Metabolites of Vitamin D are important in this, increasing reabsorption of Calcium by bones.

Calcium also plays a role in cell biology. This is important in nerve impulse transmission and muscle contraction. Calcium is also needed for blood clotting, activating clotting factors. In adults, Calcium deficiency may lead to osteomalacia (softening of bones). This may be related to repeated pregnancy with lengthy breast feeding.

Osteoporosis can be due to Calcium deficiency. This involves loss of Calcium from the bones and reduced bone density. This causes bones to be brittle and liable to fracture. Bone loss occurs with age in all individuals. This usually occurs after 35-40 years and involves the shrinking of the skeleton. Bone loss is greatest in women following the menopause. This is due to reduced levels of the hormone, oestrogen. Postmenopausal women are particularly at risk from osteoporosis.

A low level of Calcium in the blood and tissues can cause hypocalcemia. This involves sensations of tingling and numbness and muscle twitches. In severe cases muscle spasms may occur. This is called tetany. It is more likely to be due to a hormonal imbalance in the regulation of calcium rather than a dietary deficiency.

In the ongoing Nurse’s Health Study, with 86,000 participants, supplementary intake of 400 or more milligrams daily of Calcium has been associated with a significantly reduced risk of stroke among women. Supplementary intakes higher than 600 milligrams daily did not appear to confer further benefit. In a recent, randomized, double –blind, placebo-controlled study of the effects of calcium supplementation on serum cholesterol and blood pressure in 193 men and women aged 30 to 74 years, treatment with 1 and 2 grams daily of Calcium for four months conferred significant effects were seen with respect to blood pressure, total or HDL-cholesterol levels.

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble nutrient that is acquired by ingestion or by the action of sunlight on the skin. Vitamin D is unique in that it is considered both a nutrient and a hormone. There are two major forms of vitamin D: Vitamin D₂ or ergocalciferol and vitamin D₃ or cholecalciferolThe principle use of vitamin D is in the maintenance of bone health. Vitamin D is known to regulate the absorption and utilization of calcium and phosphorus, and is thus important for the formation and maintenance of healthy bones and teeth. Vitamin D may also support healthy breast and colon tissue. Vitamin D regulates calcium blood levels and thus, contributes to the maintenance of a healthy nerve and muscle system.

Osteoporos Int. 2002 Mar;13(3):257-64.

Combined calcium and vitamin D3 supplementation in elderly women: confirmation of reversal of secondary hyperparathyroidism and hip fracture risk: the Decalyos II study.
Chapuy MC, Pamphile R, Paris E, Kempf C, Schlichting M, Arnaud S, Garnero P, Meunier PJ.
HopitalEdouard Herriot, Lyon, France. chapuy@lyon151.inserm.fr

Vitamin D insufficiency and low calcium intake contribute to increase parathyroid function and bone fragility in elderly people. Calcium and vitamin D supplements can reverse secondary hyperparathyroidism thus preventing hip fractures, as proved by Decalyos I. Decalyos II is a 2-year, multicenter, randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled confirmatory study. The intention-to-treat population consisted of 583 ambulatory institutionalized women (mean age 85.2 years, SD = 7.1) randomized to the calcium-vitamin D3 fixed combination group (n = 199); the calcium plus vitamin D3 separate combination group (n = 190) and the placebo group (n = 194). Fixed and separate combination groups received the same daily amount of calcium (1200 mg) and vitamin D3 (800 IU), which had similar pharmacodynamic effects. Both types of calcium-vitamin D3 regimens increased serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D and decreased serum intact parathyroid hormone to a similar extent, with levels returning within the normal range after 6 months. In a subgroup of 114 patients, femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) decreased in the placebo group (mean = -2.36% per year, SD = 4.92), while remaining unchanged in women treated with calcium-vitamin D3 (mean = 0.29% per year, SD = 8.63). The difference between the two groups was 2.65% (95% CI = -0.44, 5.75%) with a trend in favor of the active treatment group. No significant difference between groups was found for changes in distal radius BMD and quantitative ultrasonic parameters at the oscalcis. The relative risk (RR) of HF in the placebo group compared with the active treatment group was 1.69 (95% CI = 0.96, 3.0), which is similar to that found in Decalyos I (RR = 1.7; 95% CI = 1.0, 2.8). Thus, these data are in agreement with those of Decalyos I and indicate that calcium and vitamin D3 in combination reverse senile secondary hyperparathyroidism and reduce both hip bone loss and the risk of hip fracture in elderly institutionalized women.

J Am SocNephrol. 2002 Jun;13(6):1608-14.

Treatment with vitamin D and calcium reduces bone loss after renal transplantation: a randomized study.
De Sevaux RG, Hoitsma AJ, Corstens FH, Wetzels JF.
Department of Nephrology, University Medical Center Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands. r.desevaux@nefro.azn.nl

A decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) is a major complication of renal transplantation (RTx), predominantly occurring within the first 6 mo after RTx. The most important causative factor is the use of corticosteroids, but persisting hyperparathyroidism and abnormalities in vitamin D metabolism play a role too. This study examines the effect of treatment with calcium and active vitamin D on the loss of BMD in the first 6 mo after RTx. A total of 111 renal transplant recipients (65 men, 46 women; age, 47 +/- 13 yr) were randomized to either treatment with active vitamin D (0.25 microg/d) plus calcium (1000 mg/d) (CaD group), or to no treatment (NoT group). Immunosuppressive therapy consisted of cyclosporine, prednisone, and mycophenolatemofetil. Laboratory parameters and BMD (lumbar spine and hip) were measured at 0, 1 (laboratory only), 3, and 6 mo after RTx. Lumbar BMD was nearly normal at the time of RTx. In both groups, a significant decrease in lumbar BMD was observed during the first 3 mo (CaD, -3.3 +/- 4.3%; P < 0.0001; NoT, -4.1 +/- 4.8%; P < 0.0001). Between the third day and sixth month, lumbar BMD slightly recovered in the CaD group, but it decreased further in the NoT group (total loss 0 to 6 mo: CaD, -2.6 +/- 5.0% [P < 0.001]; NoT, -5.0 +/- 4.7% [P < 0.0001]). As a result, the amount of bone loss at 6 mo was significantly lower in the CaD group (P = 0.02). Loss of BMD at the different femoral sites was also significantly reduced in the CaD group. Apart from a trend toward more frequent hypercalcemia in the CaD group, no clinical or biochemical differences existed between the groups. Treatment with a low dose of active vitamin D and calcium partially prevents bone loss at the lumbar spine and proximal femur during the first 6 mo after RTx.

Caution

Review with your doctor. If you are taking medications or have a medical condition, consult a physician before using this or any nutritional supplement product.