Supplementation has been a very controversial topic in the news lately. One of the hottest topics has been the use of calcium, magnesium, and vitamin D. According to an article from the magazine, The American Chiropractor, “Calcium supplementation alone does not stop or even slow bone loss and does not prevent osteoporosis”. Osteoporosis is a common condition, which is found mainly in women over the age of 55, causing the bone to weaken and become more brittle. The key to the body’s proper use and absorption of calcium is to take magnesium and vitamin D in combination with the calcium. The article later states that the ratio of magnesium to calcium should be 2:1, which means you should be taking twice the amount of magnesium than calcium plus the appropriate levels of vitamin D. According to Dr. Dean “Adequate levels of magnesium in the body are essential for the absorption and metabolism not only of calcium but of Vitamin D, because magnesium converts Vitamin D into its active form so that it can help calcium absorption. Magnesium also stimulates a particular hormone, calcitonin, which helps to preserve bone structure and draws calcium out of the blood and soft tissues back into the bones, lowering the likelihood of osteoporosis, some forms of arthritis, heart attack, and kidney stones”. Calcium is needed for proper muscle and nerve function, hormone production and maintenance of vascular tone. Magnesium is required by every organ system in your body to function properly. It is needed for muscle contraction, especially the heart, production of energy, hormone activation and maintenance of strong teeth and bones.
Natural sources of calcium: spinach, collard greens, mustard greens, almonds, walnuts, sesame seeds, shrimp, salmon, tofu, and soybeans
Natural sources of magnesium: spinach, broccoli, almonds, brown rice, oat bran, bananas, raisins, figs, and kidney beans
If you have any additional questions on the proper use of supplementation feel free to contact us at our office 732-920-8188, or e-mail me at drahiggins@brickfamilychiropractic.com.
