In a perfect world, you’d be able to get all the calcium you need from your food. But, in case you haven’t noticed, the world is not quite perfect.

Research shows that more than a third of Americans aren’t getting enough calcium through diet.

While we should be getting a minimum of 1,000 milligrams daily, on average, we only get 600.

Calcium is really, really important.

If you’re having trouble reaching the required 1000 milligrams of calcium per day (for adults), you might want to consider adding a supplement to your daily routine.

It can impact your life in more ways than you might imagine. Let’s dive into the benefits.

Benefits of Calcium Supplements

Osteoporosis Prevention

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Bill Gates is the richest person on the planet. Charities appreciate the man for that very reason.

What does this have to do with calcium?

Well, think of your skeleton as the Bill Gates of your body – only its wealth is calcium and not cash or lucrative stocks.

How much calcium does your skeleton contain? Ninety-nine percent of everything in your body.

Like Bill Gates, your skeleton loves to donate its wealth to those in need. Namely, other parts of your body that need calcium.

But sometimes, those other parts of your body get really needy and wind up making a huge dent in your skeleton’s calcium supply. That’s no good – In fact, it leads to conditions like osteoporosis.

Research has shown that calcium supplements can effectively solve this deficiency in a way most of our diets are not equipped to.

Weight Management

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A study conducted by The Nutrition Institute at the University of Tennessee found that the more calcium is present in a fat cell, the more fat that cell will burn.

Of the study’s 32 individuals, those who met their required levels of calcium daily lost five pounds more than those who did not.

How does this work?

Well, calcium actually boosts the body’s core temperature slightly. This in turn boosts the body’s metabolism, helping it burn fat.

Colon Cancer Prevention

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The American Cancer Society conducted a study in which they looked at over 120,000 men and women. They found that those with the highest calcium intake had the lowest risk of colorectal cancer.

And here’s the real kicker:

When calcium from the participants’ diet alone was analyzed, there was no reduction of cancer risk. Only those who got the majority of their calcium from supplements saw a reduced risk.

How reduced? 31%.

Precautions

As great as calcium is, it is possible to take too much. Pharmacists recommend consuming no more than 500 milligrams at once. Any more and you risk pushing too much calcium into your kidneys, which can cause kidney stones.

Be sure to speak with your doctor before taking calcium supplements, as you would with any supplement.

Sources:
Medicinenet.com
American Cancer Society
WebMD
Osteoporosis.ca