DISCLAIMER: All information provided is for educational purposes only — this is not medical advice.
CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION
A Must - particularly for women!
THE MOST ABUNDANT MINERAL IN OUR BODIES
Ninety-eight percent of the body's calcium provides strength and rigidity to our bones. Another one percent can be found in our teeth. and the last one percent is distributed throughout our body in muscle tissue, nerve tissue and in the bloodstream.
CALCIUM IS MORE THAN JUST BONES AND TEETH
Calcium is necessary for all muscle growth and muscle activity. Our heartbeats, our breathing and our ability to move depends upon calcium. Impulses cannot be transmitted throughout our nervous system without calcium. It is also instrumental in the blood-clotting process, in the activation of several enzymes and in the passage of nutrients and waste through the cellular wall.
CALCIUM DEFICIENCIES ARE REAL
Of all the nutrients, calcium is most often deficient in the American diet. The average adult consumes only about 50% of the U.S. Recommended Daily Allowance, women generally less than that. Although milk and dairy products are dependable sources of calcium, they are al50 usually high in calories, fats and cholesterol, the very things most Americans are trying to avoid. In addition, the consumption of coffee and alcohol drain calcium from the system. Stress can heavily impact calcium availability because it causes a decrease in the absorption of calcium while increasing the body's demand for calcium.
The early stages of calcium deficiency result in a condition called tetany which is characterized by muscle cramps, numbness and tingling in the arms and legs. In children, a lack of calcium can result in malformation of bones and impaired growth. In old age, osteoporosis may develop.
Additional signs of deficiency are joint pains, heart palpitation, a slow pulse and tooth decay. Extreme cases may lead to slow blood clotting or hemorrhaging.
FEAR OF OSTEOPOROSIS FOCUSES ATTENTION ON CALCIUM
Osteoporosis is no longer recognized as an inevitable part of the aging process. It is very likely that it results from a prolonged dietary deficiency in calcium. About 20 million Americans currently suffer from this crippling disease at a cost of $6 billion per year. It afflicts more older women than heart attacks, diabetes, arthritis or breast cancer. Osteoporosis has been nicknamed the "Silent Epidemic" because no warning signs accompany its onset. Statistics show it will strike one in every four white women over 60.
This disease occurs when calcium is withdrawn from the bones faster than it is deposited. The loss of bone mass causes bones to become porous and fragile, increasing the possibility of fractures. As the disease progresses, the spine compresses and curves resulting in the slumped over posture associated with the disease.
In an effort to prevent or at least forestall the onset of osteoporosis, physicians and researchers have concluded that women and men alike should consume at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. After menopause, the risk of bone loss dramatically increases for women. Postmenopausal women are advised to increase their intake to 1500 milligrams per day.
ESTROGEN CAN'T PREVENT OSTEOPOROSIS BY ITSELF
After thoroughly examining their postmenopausal patients, more and more doctors are prescribing estrogen therapy as a preventative step against osteoporosis. This is done because doctors know that when a woman goes through menopause, there is frequently an extreme drop in the body's natural estrogen production. They also know estrogen plays an important role in calcium utilization and bone deposition. Without estrogen, the body just can't deposit enough new calcium in the bone to keep up with that which is lost.
All the estrogen in the world, however, can't help the body use and deposit calcium that isn't there. It is extremely important that postmenopausal females, whether on estrogen therapy or not, insure their diet contains at least 1500 mg. of calcium each day. If osteoporosis is to be dealt with effectively, both calcium and estrogen must be present. A doctor can determine if estrogen therapy is recommended. Ensuring optimum calcium intake is up to the individual.
UTILIZATION REQUIRES OTHER NUTRIENTS
For calcium to function properly, other nutrients must be present in the body. For example, calcium cannot be absorbed without adequate amounts of vitamin D. Vitamins A and C are also involved. Magnesium and calcium work as a team to promote cardiovascular health, and a calcium/phosphorous balance must be maintained for the efficient formation of bone tissue. Deficiencies in any one of these related nutrients inhibit the utilization of calcium.
CURRENT RESEARCH: CALCIUM
Recent studies have focused on the relationship between calcium and colon cancer. Preliminary results suggest that calcium may work against the changes in the colon lining which precede cancer. Calcium deficiency or imbalance in relationship to sodium has been shown to play a role in hypertension (high blood pressure). It appears that many cases of this disease may reflect a calcium imbalance at the cellular level. Also, much research continues in the area of osteoporosis. The effects of long-term (lifetime) deficiencies in calcium continue to be of great interest and concern to researchers.
HIGH PURITY BEYOND COMPARE
GNLD (Neolife) always seeks to use the form of raw materials that yields the highest purity and is most compatible with the body's natural processes. To act as the primary calcium source material in each of its products, GNLD selected a superior, organically-derived source of calcium - eggshells. Eggshell calcium consistently provides a high degree of purity in a form that tends to be more readily soluble to improve the potential for absorption. This source also gives GNLD greater control over raw material quality than other sources.
NOT ALL CALCIUM IS EQUAL
Some of the supplements available on the market today include dolomite or bone meal as sources of calcium. The FDA has warned that these supplements may contain lead which could be hazardous for infants and children, and may contribute to liver, adrenal and kidney damage in the elderly. These sources also do not provide a readily soluble form of calcium that can be absorbed easily. Processed bone meal may contain an excess of phosphorous which can upset the calcium/phosphorous balance in the body and inhibit the efficient utilization of both minerals.
YOUR CALCIUM/PHOSPHOROUS BALANCE IS IMPORTANT
GNLD calcium supplements have been formulated to encourage a proper calcium/ phosphorous balance in the body. While the American diet is deficient in calcium, it supplies an overabundance of phosphorous, and, unlike calcium, a relatively large percentage of the phosphorous consumed is absorbed. This imbalance inhibits the effective use of both minerals. GNLD calcium supplements help to restore the balance by supplying very little or no phosphorous while substantially enhancing the absorption of calcium.
The amount of supplemental calcium a person needs each day depends greatly upon a number of factors including diet, age, nutritional preferences and even genetic background. Because GNLD is aware of these differences, a choice of 3 different calcium products is provided that can fulfill everyone's supplemental calcium needs. Each is formulated with specific guidelines and goals in mind and each reflects the GNLD difference in mineral supplementation.
Neo-Cal is a fresh-tasting, mint flavored chewable tablet the whole family will enjoy. It blends eggshell calcium with calcium lactate and calcium gluconate, all organically-derived sources, to yield a supplement that is readily soluble for maximum utilization in the body. In addition, Neo-Cal is low phosphorous and contains natural beet root, a source of betaine hydrochloride, which helps digest calcium and maintain normal acidity in the stomach. Magnesium and vitamin C have also been added to enhance calcium absorption and utilization. Natural mint oil and carob create the refreshing flavor of Neo-Cal.
This is the unique GNLD Amino Acid chelated form of calcium which provides improved absorption. It is available in two forms: a tablet containing 100 mg. of calcium plus 50 mg. of magnesium, and a capsule of the same potency with vitamin D added for those persons who don't receive enough of this vitamin in their diet.
Evidence is accumulating which suggests that magnesium plays an important role in regulating the cardiovascular system and muscle contraction. It is known that stress depletes the body's supply of magnesium and research is now trying to determine if that depletion leads to a contraction of blood vessels, producing hypertension. Cal-Mag is one of the most valuable supplements available today, offering the benefits of two minerals that can dramatically influence overall health.
