Calcium

If splurging on milk, cheese, and other dairy products means that we will be totally spared from osteoporosis and other bone-related diseases, cows would need to produce milk than usual. For those who are not as fond of the cow's produce but are as scared of osteoporosis as everybody is, calcium supplements save their day.

But are all forms of calcium the same? Will each of them be as effective as the other in preventing bone density loss? Unfortunately, not everything you see in commercials is true. Otherwise, if they all stick to the whole truths, no one is going to make money.

So now, the million-dollar-question is "what is the best source of calcium for our bones?" Dr. Hans Nieper, M.D. of Germany made extensive studies found out interesting things. The study stated that calcium is most useful in the prevention of bone-related issues when it is in the calcium orotate form. To someone who does not study this field, Dr. Nieper's discovery is very hard to understand indeed.

The body just doesn't absorb all forms of calcium as they are taken in and convert them to bone-building stuff. If that was the case, osteoporosis and the like, would all be unheard of. However, the body goes through a lot of chemical changes in order to make use of those bone-density-boosters that we are taking in. Chemical catalysts or enzymes work hand in hand with other vitamins and minerals to work the process. Thus, these other elements are also as important as calcium is. This means that one should exist along with the others.

Magnesium is one of the elements required for the chemical process. Along with calcium, magnesium serves as the fuel that controls the heart. That is why it is not that difficult to understand why both of these minerals need to be present abundantly.

Admittedly, people who indulge on dairy products (ice cream included) do not seem to have any calcium issue. But generally, while calcium deficiency in people is rare, it remains to be a possibility. Sometimes, individuals may just be suffering from magnesium deficiency, but have been pointing their fingers at the wrong thing.

Calcium does not prevent any bone disease all by itself. If we lack Vitamin C, our calcium intake may lead us to suffer from kidney stones. Bottomline, there has to be a balance of everything. People have the misconception that if they take on too much of something all at once, the more effective it is. Nothing can be farther from the truth.