Calcium magnesium balance

Introduction

Calcium is one of the most important essential minerals, asit is the integral ingredient if proper strength, health and development ofteeth and bones. A large number of people put a strong emphasis on theingestion of calcium in order to prevent osteoporosis from occurring. This iswhy calcium can also be taken in its supplemental form as well. Calcium is alsovery efficient in eliminating muscle cramps which are often associated withphysical exercising and menstruation. Calcium on its own is simply not enough.In order to be utilized properly, calcium always needs to be accompanied byappropriate amounts of magnesium. If a person ingests calcium, and not enoughmagnesium, premenstrual symptoms, menstrual cramps, osteoporosis, arthritis andmalabsorption may occur. Malabsorption is caused mainly by poor dietary habitsand problems with the functioning of the digestive tract. Our ancestor atefoods which were loaded with magnesium, but very low in calcium, so the humanbody learned to store the precious calcium. Magnesium could be traced fromvegetables, grains, seeds and nuts so there was never any need to store itinside the body. The body retains calcium in spite of the fact that the dietsof modern people contain much more calcium than magnesium. Modern diets alsoinclude large amounts of alcohol and sugars, and these are known for enhancing theexcretion of magnesium through the urine. Modern grains also do not contain asmuch magnesium as they did in the past, due to various refining processes.Another problem with modern times is that the quality of the soil hasdeteriorated significantly because farmers tend to use large amounts ofpotassium in the fertilizers. When all the aforementioned factors are combined,the conclusion is that nowadays all food items contain less magnesium than everbefore.

Health Issues

Magnesium deficiency may be associated with certain types ofmedical problems. The main concerns include osteoporosis and arthritis. Asexplained earlier, magnesium is a vital part of calcium absorption. When aperson suffers from magnesium deficiency, the calcium gets deposited in thesoft tissues and it cannot be absorbed properly into the blood and the bones,which all leads to the development of arthritis. Elevated levels of calcium in the blood enhancethe production of calcitonin and decrease the production of the parathyroidhormone. These occurrences contribute to the development of both arthritis andosteoporosis. Magnesium can also be taken in the form of supplements.