Calcium is important for preventing osteoporosis and
bone disease, as it's a major building-block of our bone tissue - our skeleton
houses 99 % of our body's calcium stores.
The calcium in our bones also acts as
a reservoir for maintaining calcium levels in the blood, which is essential for
healthy nerves and muscles.
The amount of calcium we need to consume changes at
different stages in our lives.
Calcium requirements are high in our teenage
years with the rapid growth of the skeleton.
With age, the body’s
ability to absorb calcium declines, which is one of the reasons why seniors
also require higher amounts.
Recommended daily
calcium intakes
Recommended daily calcium allowances for populations
vary between countries. The IOM 2010 (Institute of Medicine of the US National
Academy of Sciences) recommendations are as follows:
Infancy to Adolescence
|
Calcium (mg/day)
|
0-6 months
|
*
|
6-12 months
|
*
|
1-3 years
|
700
|
4-8 years
|
1000
|
9-13 years
|
1300
|
14-18 years
|
1300
|
Women
|
Calcium (mg/day)
|
19 - 50 years
|
1000
|
Post-menopause (51+ years)
|
1200
|
During pregnancy/lactation 14-18 years old
|
1300
|
During pregnancy/lactation 19-50 years old
|
1000
|
Men
|
Calcium (mg/day)
|
19-70 years
|
1000
|
70+ years
|
1200
|
The calcium allowance figures for children and
adolescents also take account of skeletal growth (net calcium gain), and those
for postmenopausal women and the elderly take account of a lower intestinal
calcium absorption efficiency.
* For infants, adequate intake is 200 mg/day for 0 to
6 months and 260 mg/day for 6 to 12 months of age.
( Fonte/Source : IOF International Osteoporosis Foundation)
