Did you know that calcium is a very important nutrient in the diet of athletes ? In addition to being an essential component for growth and bone formation, calcium helps maintain the strength and density of the entire bone structure and prevents fractures.
Discover below the importance of calcium in the diet of athletes , its main properties and benefits, the recommended daily dose and in which foods you can find it. Always remember to ask any questions you have about the consumption of calcium to your doctor or nutritionist.
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Properties of calcium
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body. It has a great variety of properties, being valued for the nutritional effect it exerts on the bones, preventing osteoporosis . The important functions that it fulfills require that you have large amounts within the body. Calcium is equivalent to 2 percent of our body weight and, almost entirely, is concentrated in the bones and teeth , with the rest distributed in the bloodstream and muscle cells.
It should be considered that both its excess and its deficiency are harmful to health , because it directly influences the blood coagulation and the correct permeability of the membranes. Calcium has a close relationship with phosphorus, in terms of its assimilation . The lack of any of them in the body , can harm the absorption of the other.
Benefits of calcium
Calcium is a mineral with an immense variety of nutritional and therapeutic benefits . Among them, we have to provide stiffness and strength to the bones, teeth and gums. At a preventive level, it works by decreasing the risk of suffering from cardiovascular diseases, reducing the volume of cholesterol in the blood. For athletes , it is usually very effective avoiding cramps in the body muscles, as well as the chances of suffering injuries or fractures.
It also maintains the permeability of cell membranes and prevents osteoporosis. In the case of pregnant women, they will need additional amounts of calcium to reduce gestational hypertension or increase in blood pressure. Other important benefits are the stimulation of heart rate and the transmission of nerve impulses.
Calcium for athletes
As with the rest of vitamins and minerals, calcium is important for all those who do physical activities constantly. However, in the case of women athletes, the need is usually greater. This is because many of them decide to stop taking dairy products, due to digestion problems or not to gain weight. If you do not want to drink natural milk , it is possible to compensate calcium with soy milk or almonds, otherwise you must resort to nutritional calcium supplements , especially in the harder seasons of training.
The sweating produced by physical exercise leads to losing large amounts of calcium per hour. The average amount to cover these decompensation in women, is 400 milligrams of nutritional supplements, twice a day. The lack of calcium in women athletes can expose it to injuries , fractures and a future osteoporosis .
How much calcium do I need?
The consumption of calcium is essential for the development and preservation of bones, in addition to fulfilling other important functions. The recommended daily amount of calcium, either through food or nutritional supplements, will go according to our age or specific stages, such as pregnancy . In fact, pregnant women are also recommended 1000 milligrams daily, while babies from 0 to 6 months , will need 210 milligrams daily . From 6 months to 1 year of age, the dose rises to 270 milligrams.
In children up to 8 years of age, the administration of calcium of 500 milligrams may increase up to 800 . From 10 years to 18, the ideal dose is 1300 milligrams daily . Adults can lower the amount up to 1000 milligrams. In the case of elderly people, additional amounts of calcium are usually needed, which will be contingent upon a doctor's evaluation.
Calcium indications
Before taking any nutritional supplement , such as calcium, you must take into account certain contraindications or effects, which can prevent us from having bad moments. Calcium nutritional supplements are not usually well assimilated by people suffering from chronic kidney diseases, such as stones . In some cases, the measures are marked in values that are foreign to us, which occurs if the product is imported . If the situation occurs, consult a nutritionist , in order not to administer inappropriate doses.
For calcium to be absorbed in its entirety, supplementation with vitamin D should be complemented. High levels (more than 1000 milligrams daily) may cause constipation, bloating, and gas . Also, special care should be taken if you have ulcers, requiring in such a case a professional opinion, prior to the start of any treatment.
Calcium in foods
What foods contain calcium?
What are the foods that contain calcium ?, You will ask. Our body requires generous amounts of calcium, which can be found in different foods, as rich as they are nutritious. Calcium is present in whole skim milk and fat-free milk powder. Also, we place it in yogurt only without fat or low in fat.
In the different varieties of cheese , such as American, cheddar , mozarella , parmesan or ricotta , we find high amounts of calcium , as in desserts such as vanilla ice cream. With regard to animals , it is undoubtedly fish that contains the highest concentrations of calcium. Although in smaller quantity, this mineral is also found in molluscs and shrimps. The most remarkable vegetables in this aspect are the spinach, the kale, the onion, the cress, the chard and the broccoli . We find pulses in white beans, chickpeas and lentils.