Calcium is a nutrient that many college-age students, especially college women, do not consume in adequate amounts. Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body and serves many functions. Our serum calcium is very tightly regulated but the majority of our body's calcium in stored in our bones and teeth where it maintains their structure and function.
How much calcium do you need?
- Adults aged 19-50 need 1,000mg calcium daily
- young first year students (ages 14-18) need 1,300mg daily
A large number of college students do not meet these daily calcium requirements from food. The picture to the right is of two of my favorite ways to get calcium from food - Greek yogurt, and a decaf, nonfat latte. Yum! I got both of those from Roger's Place & Market on Revelle College.
If you find that you cannot meet your daily calcium needs with food, a calcium supplement makes sense to help you get to the 1,000mg daily requirement. How do you know how much calcium you're getting from food? Check this out http://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/calcium#h3
Protect those bones, get that calcium!
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