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Adding calcium to your daily routine is key to supporting bone development and growth in children and preventing osteoporosis in adults. But when should you take calcium for maximum benefits? Let's explore the answers to these questions together!
Best Times to Take Calcium Supplements
Similar to medication, the timing of calcium intake matters for its effectiveness and digestive health. So, when is the best time to take calcium? Let's find out.
The Best Time to Take Calcium: Before or After Meals?
Calcium is a vital mineral for overall body health. It plays a crucial role in forming the skull, bones, teeth, and contributes to blood clotting and muscle contraction. When the body lacks calcium:
- Children may experience delayed growth, stunted development, hair loss, night sweats, restless sleep, irritability, or susceptibility to certain illnesses...
- For pregnant and postpartum women, calcium deficiency can lead to muscle and joint issues, back, shoulder, neck pain, hair loss, muscle cramps, postpartum back pain, premature osteoporosis...
Elderly individuals should consider calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporosis.
- The Danger of Calcium Deficiency in the Elderly and Optimal Timing for Intake
It's advisable to take calcium supplements after breakfast, about an hour later. During breakfast, you can sit outside and bask in the sunlight; vitamin D from sunlight aids in calcium synthesis, maximizing absorption into the body. In some cases where extra calcium supplementation is needed, such as during pregnancy or for those with calcium deficiency, it's recommended to split the intake into two doses. Take the first dose an hour after breakfast and the second after lunch. This way, calcium can be absorbed gradually and to the fullest extent possible.
When Should You Take Calcium: Evening Intake?
Is it advisable to take calcium in the evening? No, it's not! The evening is when the body begins to rest, and metabolic processes slow down. Therefore, the calcium we intake during this time is often not fully absorbed and tends to accumulate.
Morning is the Ideal Time to Supplement Calcium
If calcium accumulates and deposits too much over time, organs such as the kidneys, urinary tract, etc., can suffer severe damage. Therefore, experts advise against calcium supplementation in the evening at any age.
When to Take Calcium: Age for Calcium Supplementation
Both calcium deficiency and excess can harm the body, so it's essential to know at what age the body needs calcium supplementation to ensure timely and adequate intake.
Age Range for Calcium Supplementation in Children
When should children take calcium for superior height? Below are the age milestones and calcium supplementation advice for babies.
- Children under 6 months are primarily nourished with breast milk or formula. To supplement calcium for the baby, mothers just need to ensure a diet rich in calcium-rich foods.
- From 6 months until weaning, in addition to breast milk, children are introduced to solid foods. If breast milk no longer provides sufficient calcium for the child's age, they should be given solid foods containing calcium. When to take calcium, should calcium be supplemented for children at this stage? This is the 'golden' period for calcium supplementation for babies - the first 1000 days of life help the baby achieve superior height. Therefore, mothers may consider providing external calcium supplements for their babies.
Proper and Adequate Calcium Supplementation for Children Will Help Them Achieve Superior Height
- Children aged 1-3: require approximately 500 mg of calcium per day. Parents should diversify their daily meals with calcium-rich foods and supplement additional calcium (utilizing the first 1000 days of life as a foundation for future height development).
- Children aged 4 - 9: Require about 600 - 700 mg of calcium per day. Parents should ensure adequate calcium supplementation as this is the period of bone and teeth development for children.
- Children aged 10: Need about 1000 mg of calcium per day. At this stage, children greatly need calcium supplementation to lay the groundwork for height growth and strong bones during puberty. Dietary calcium is often insufficient, and children need to supplement from fortified foods.
- Ages 11-24: Require about 1200 mg of calcium per day, the period of rapid growth in height. In addition to food, children also need calcium supplements in other forms.
Age Range for Calcium Supplementation in Adults
Calcium is a crucial factor in forming strong bones. So, for adults, when should calcium be taken, at what age for healthy bones?
Pregnant women are a group that needs to focus on calcium supplementation
According to nutrition experts, calcium supplementation for the elderly is essential to prevent osteoporosis. Adults such as: women in perimenopause, menopause, and those over 50 years old are advised to supplement calcium. Additionally, adults following a vegetarian diet, individuals with bone fractures, and pregnant women should also consider calcium supplementation.
Tips to Improve Calcium Absorption
Calcium is lost every second, every minute, even when we rest, even when we consume foods rich in calcium. In adults, up to 80% of the calcium in food is excreted. Therefore, besides addressing when to take calcium, you also need to pay attention to the principles of effective calcium supplementation:
- Avoid consuming foods high in phosphorus, as this substance causes calcium to precipitate, forming poorly soluble salts. Also, limit foods containing oxalate as it inhibits calcium absorption.
- Balance the use of calcium supplements and calcium-rich foods. In addition to calcium supplementation, incorporate calcium-rich foods into your daily diet. Include foods high in calcium such as dark green leafy vegetables, shrimp, crab, milk, fish, eggs, etc., in your daily menu.
- Choose organic calcium supplements over inorganic calcium. Organic calcium is more digestive-friendly, easier to absorb, less likely to cause sedimentation, and reduces the risk of constipation.
- Avoid taking calcium with iron or milk simultaneously: Taking calcium with iron and milk may compete for absorption, increasing calcium excretion from the body.
Exercise for Enhanced Calcium Absorption
- Combine calcium supplementation, sunlight exposure, and moderate exercise. This is the most effective way to absorb calcium as precursor vitamin D compounds are synthesized upon sunlight exposure. Along with that, moderate exercise strengthens bones and promotes optimal height growth.
In summary, when to take calcium? It's best to take calcium in the morning after breakfast or an hour after lunch. Individuals such as children, the elderly, pregnant women, and premenopausal women are groups that need calcium supplementation. And when supplementing calcium, you should follow a balanced diet and exercise regimen to have a healthy body.
