Calcium | Calcium beta-hydroxybutyrate

Calcium | Calcium beta-hydroxybutyrate

Properties: Healthy bones? Only with calcium! It is thanks to calcium that bones gain the necessary hardness and can be more durable. After all, almost all the calcium in our body is stored precisely in the bones. This element is their basic building material. For this reason, taking care of proper calcium levels in our bodies is one of the best ways to prevent bone demineralization and osteoporosis.

While strengthening the skeletal system is certainly the primary function of this macronutrient, its other properties must not be overlooked. In the human body, calcium is also responsible for muscle performance, sleep regularity, speed of wound healing or even well-being. It also supports the functioning of the nervous system, as it participates in the conduction of nerve impulses. Calcium supplementation is particularly useful when we want to improve our ability to remember. This is because scientists have found that calcium is indispensable for the brain to form new connections between neurons. This fascinating ability of our mind, expertly called neuroplasticity, is one of the main mechanisms by which long-term memory is formed. So, by using calcium, we increase the intellectual capacity of our head, especially in terms of absorbing new information.

A lesser-known fact may be that calcium also has an effect on our body’s defenses. This element stimulates the activity of cells that participate in the immune response. In addition, it is one of those macronutrients that are responsible for maintaining homeostasis in the body. Namely, calcium regulates the permeability of cell membranes, participates in many metabolic processes and prevents inflammation. At the same time, it regulates the digestive system, promoting proper intestinal peristalsis and the production of essential digestive enzymes. All these properties have an extremely beneficial effect on our vitality. 

It is worth remembering that the effectiveness of calcium is largely dependent on the amount of vitamin D3 in our body. The task of this vitamin, in addition to supporting the immune system or endocrine economy, includes maintaining adequate calcium levels. This means that these two compounds always go hand in hand, and it is worth taking care that we are not deficient in either of them. In this way, we will certainly benefit our body!

Occurrence: The primary source of calcium in the average diet is dairy products. Milk and its products provide about 70% of this element, with its absorption favored by the presence of probiotic bacteria cultures and vitamin D. In addition to milk, yogurt and cheese, sources of calcium include salmon, soybeans, spinach, kale, chia seeds, Chinese cabbage, sardines and beans. The daily requirement for this element for an adult is 1,000 mg, with an increase in women during pregnancy, lactation and after menopause.

Biochemistry: Calcium (Ca) is an element in the alkaline earth metal group. In its pure form, it is a silvery-gray solid (although it is sometimes described as pale yellow). It has a hardness similar to lead, but can be cut, albeit with difficulty, with a knife. It reacts with oxygen from the air and quickly covers itself with a layer of oxide. Therefore, it must be stored in kerosene, for example. Calcium is very important for the functioning of many organisms. In humans, it is necessary for the activation of many enzymes, participates in the secretion of hormones and neurotransmitters, is involved in blood clotting, muscle contractions, immune reactions and regenerative processes. The body of an adult contains 900-1300 g of calcium. Almost the entire pool of this element, as much as 99%, is stored in the bones, in the form of hydroxyapatite. The remaining 1% occurs in ionized form in intracellular and extracellular fluid.

Fun fact: In nature, calcium does not occur in the free state. Instead, it forms many chemical compounds, the most common of which is calcium oxide (CaO). Using this compound in a hydrolysis reaction, English chemist Sir Humphry Davy first identified calcium as an element in 1808.