For strong, healthy bones
"all the calcium you need in just two delicious chews"
For strong, healthy bones
"all the calcium you need in just two delicious chews"
Calcium is an essential nutrient which has a number important of functions. Its main use is to keep bones healthy, and working alongside another mineral, phosphorus, it helps to keep them strong. 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth. The remaining 1% is in your blood and soft tissues, helping regulate muscle contractions including your heartbeat, making sure your nerves carry messages and your blood clots normally.
If we don't get enough calcium in our diets, our bodies actually use the calcium in our bones as an emergency supply for our blood and soft tissues. If your body continues to break down more bone than it replaces over a period of years, your bones can become weak, leading to an increased risk of bone disease osteoporosis. That's why it's really important to make sure you're getting enough calcium.
The recommended daily allowance (RDA) of calcium is 800mg per day for adults. If you're pregnant you won't need to take any more, but if you're breastfeeding it's a good idea to take 1200mg a day. Also, if you're going through or have gone through the menopause, it's recommended you increase your calcium levels to around 1200mg.
The Food Standards Agency advises you take no more than 1500mg of calcium supplements a day. High doses of calcium can lead to stomach pain and diarrhoea and more than 2000-2500mg per day over an extended period of time can lead to high levels of calcium in the blood, which may interfere with the absorption of other minerals, such as iron.
