The human body deteriorates as people age. The older they get, the riskier they become to some diseases and disabilities which can greatly affect their life. One of the most common illnesses adults over 50 can get is the osteoporosis—a condition wherein the bones become porous due to inadequate calcium in the body. It is common for them to experience severe pain in hips, spine and wrist because their bones become thinner and less dense as they enter to their twilight years. This makes their posture change while even a minor bump can be a serious case in which their bones may actually break.
It is important, therefore, that they take good care of their bodies especially their bones. Unfortunately, some of them, when they reach seniorhood, do not mind their vitamin and mineral intake especially their dietary calcium intake. What they do not realize is that having low calcium can be harmful for their aging body.
How does calcium works?
Calcium’s primary function, together with Vitamin D, is to build, maintain and regenerate the bones and teeth. This mineral is an essential part of “bone mineralization” process wherein some of the calcium are eradicated from and substituted in the bones. During this method, this helps the skeleton to strengthen and have a proper structure. Apart from these, this mineral ensures the heart and other part of the body to function properly. It helps in blood clotting, sending signals throughout the body and regulating the normal blood pressure for an individual as well as muscle contraction.
Calcium is the most abundant and one of the most critical mineral in the body. Ninety-nine percent of it is mostly found in the bones and teeth while the other is stored in the blood, muscles and other tissue. Calcium ions are released when muscle is stimulated by a nerve. It assists the proteins in the muscle to fully carry out contraction. The muscle relaxes only when the calcium ions are pumped out of the muscle. When the body cannot get enough calcium especially during old age, those that are kept in the bones and teeth are used and released in order to form new cell membranes.
Aging decreases the efficacy of the muscular system that affects the signal transmission throughout the body. Calcium absorption in the body is also affected once the body enters to senior hood since more calcium is released through sweat, skin cells and waste. Aside from age,gender can be a contributing factor why the concentration of calcium tends to decline. Women are more susceptible to calcium deficiency because the estrogen level reduces as they age. Estrogen is a group of steroid hormones which supports in sustaining an appropriate calcium level in the body through intestinal absorption of calcium. As a result, it makes some of the functions in the body to slow down as well as causing the bones to become brittle and weak.
What will happen when seniors do not get enough calcium?
For elders, the importance of calcium in their bodies increases as they age. They, as compared to younger people, need a higher dose of calcium in order to protect their bones and body. It is recommended for the women over 50 and men aged 71 and older to get 1,200 mg of calcium every day while those men aged 50 to 70 years old are advised to get 1,000 mg of calcium a day. Unfortunately, calcium intake lessen as they get older. It becomes more difficult for them to get those prescriptions because their appetite decreases causing their calcium levels to deplete. As a result, they become more vulnerable to calcium deficiency diseases.
This condition is harmful for seniors. During minor deficiency, they may experience numbness, muscle cramps, tingling fingers and brittle fingernails, fainting, lethargy and trouble in swallowing. On the other hand, when the body do not get enough calcium and becomes severe, this may cause them hypocalcemia, ostemalacia, osteopenia, kidney failure, tooth decay, mental confusion, insufficient blood clotting, bone fractures, heart problems and hyperkalaemia—a disease wherein too much potassium in the blood.
However, taking too much calcium higher than what is required bring no good in the body. In fact, very high calcium levels pose older people to diseases. One of these diseases is the high blood calcium. This type of illness is much more dangerous than high blood pressure because it doubles the risk of adults to heart diseases and stroke.
Sources of calcium
Calcium cannot be produced by the human body on its own. In order to get enough of this mineral, seniors are advised to eat and drink foods that are rich in calcium and include those in their diet meal plan. Some of the calcium-rich food and drinks include:
- Milk—this is the most common sources of calcium. It is also a good source of vitamin D, A and protein. One cup of cow’s milk contains 276-352 milligrams of calcium while the goat’s milk has 327 milligrams of calcium. Consider Ensure Life as a good replacement as well.
- Yogurt—it is also a good source of calcium as well as potassium, phosphorus and vitamins B2 and B12.
- Cheese—another excellent source of calcium especiallt the parmesan cheese. It can also lower the risk of heart disease in spite of having high calories and fat.
- Nuts and Seeds—almonds, sesame, Brazil nuts, celery, poppy, chia seeds and etc are also high in calcium. Aside from calcium, these contains proteins, healthy fats, iron, copper and manganese that are good for the body.
- Leafy green vegetables—those dark leafy greens are high in calcium and vey nutritious. Some of them includeskale, broccoli, beans, lentils, collards, celery, Chinese cabbage and spinach.
- Fish—sardines, salmon, tuna and mackerel are rich also very rich in calcium.
- Fortified foods and drinks— cereals, soymilk and orange juice are some of the fortified foods and drinks that are highly rich in calcium.
- Egg yolks, soy, tofu and beef liver—calcium can also be found in these foods.
Final Thought
Given that old age cannot be prevented, adults should think about the consequences of it. Old age can come with diseases. Calcium deficiency is very common condition for seniors. The usual causes of this includes dietary intolerance, prescription medications, and hormonal changes that interfere with the ability of their body to absorb nutrients. In order to prevent this from occurring, healthy lifestyle is advised. Eating foods that are rich in vitamins and minerals can help them maintain a good health. When they are having hard time eating, they may take food supplements that are rich in calcium. This can help them sustain the required dosage of calcium everyday. Regular exercise and a little sunlight every morning can help the body absorb calcium. For a good range of meal replacement with high calcium milk powder, definitely visit SeniorCare.
Author Profile:
Co-founder and Head of Marketing for SeniorCare. Henry’s passion is building e-commerce businesses that create value for the society. Through his interactions with the elderly community and their caregivers, he realizes that there is a better way to distribute these supplies to their home.
