Calcium

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Chemical Element #

ref Calcium has several important functions.

• These include:
  • helping build bones and keep teeth healthy
  • regulating muscle contractions, including your heartbeat making sure blood clots normally

A lack of calcium could lead to a condition called rickets in children, and osteomalacia or osteoporosis in later life.

Sources of calcium #

• milk, cheese and other dairy foods
• green leafy vegetables – such as curly kale, okra but not spinach (spinach does contain high levels of calcium but the body cannot digest it all)
• soya drinks with added calcium
• bread and anything made with fortified flour
• fish where you eat the bones – such as sardines and pilchards

How much calcium do I need? #

• Adults aged 19 to 64 and over need 700mg of calcium a day.
• You should be able to get all the calcium you need from your daily diet.

What happens if I take too much calcium? #

Taking high doses of calcium (more than 1,500mg a day) could lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea.