Keeping Calcium in your Bones and Weekly Training Journal

Keeping Calcium in your Bones and Weekly Training Journal

What do you mean “keeping calcium in your bones”?  Isn’t that where it is anyway?  Not necessarily.  We all know that our bones are primarily made of calcium as well as our body's main source of it.  Calcium is also used by the central nervous system in every muscular contraction our body has.  When we think of calcium, most of us think of dairy products.  Dairy products are abundant in calcium, but why is it that despite an increase in dairy consumption, osteoporosis continues to rise?

Let’s take a look at our Paleolithic, hell even Neolithic, ancestors.  First of all, dairy or milk from other animals is very recent in the human time line.  A long time ago the only milk humans got was from other humans when they were infants, after that, milk consumption stopped. Despite not having dairy, bone density and health was far superior than that of modern humans, even in those who lived past their 60’s and 70’s.  The bone structure of our ancestors is comparable to that of Olympic caliber athletes of today.  So what’s the difference?

There are several theories on this.  One that is supported by strong evidence suggests the difference is in the amount of vitamin D3 and magnesium our ancestors had compared to modern humans.  Both of these are necessary for calcium absorption.  Vitamin D3 is made from cholesterol in our bodies when we are exposed to sunlight, something our ancestors had an abundance of most of us get very little exposure to.  Magnesium is a mineral that is found in abundance in fruits and vegetables, especially the dark green leafy type, which again is something our ancestors had an abundance of whereas today most of us get very little of.  Interestingly enough, calcium is also found in many of the sources where magnesium is found. 

But wait there is more.  Calcium is also used in our bodies as a buffer to help maintain our Ph levels.   If our Ph, which is constantly seeking homeostasis, begins to become acidic, our body pulls calcium, which is alkaline, from our bones to keep our Ph at the right level.  When we consume foods that are acidic, which tips our Ph the same direction, our body has to use calcium (much the same way Tums helps neutralize stomach acid) to combat an acidic Ph.  Makes sense right? 

So what foods are acidic? Take a guess…grains.  When the agricultural revolution (when we started eating grains and dairy) took hold about 5-10,000 years ago, skeletal remains show that humans got smaller and showed significant decreases in body density.  Additionally, dairy is also acidic expect for those that contain probiotics, like yogurt, especially kefir yogurt.

This simply means the more grains and diary we consume, excluding the probiotic type; we increase the acidity of our Ph and pull more calcium from our bones to stabilize it.  This means two things:

1.      Our bone density decreases, and risk of osteoporosis increases.

2.      Our circulating calcium increases.

Well, for obvious reasons, decreased bone density can be problematic to say the least.  Broken hip anyone? Circulating calcium is an issue that isn’t so obvious.  When we have more circulating calcium we have an increased likelihood of that calcium depositing and calcifying in places it should like our arteries, joints and kidneys.  A certain amount of calcium buildup in our arterial system is actually quite normal and adds rigidity to artery walls as we age.  The problem is when we have too much. 

Add that to an already inflammatory diet (typical western diet that is high in grains) and you have a recipe for increased cardio vascular disease.  Ok, so in a nutshell too much circulating calcium can cause kidney stones, joint problems, cardio vascular disease and is a possible sign of developing osteoporosis. 

Exercise, primarily load bearing strength exercises, has been shown time and time again to not only increase muscle but increase bone density via an increase in certain hormones.  Once again, there is that strength word.   You guys noticing a pattern yet?????  And yes, it grows increasingly important to do strength training as we get older. 

What are some things to consider that may reduce the risk of these problems?

·        Consume less dairy and consider eating more kefir style yogurt

·        Consume more magnesium (eat more veggies)

·        Eat a less acidic acid foods..stop eating wheat, barley and rye!

·        Get more sun or take increase vitamin D3

·        Keep strength training in your fitness program.

If taking vitamin D3, take it in the morning to help with mood and if taking magnesium citrate, take it at night since is has been shown to help us relax.  If taking a calcium supplement, calcium citrate is one of the most bio absorbable forms or you can eat more of the right veggies...duh.   Since calcium and magnesium compete for some of the same sites, it is often advised not to take these supplements together. 

It is estimated that due to the amount of sun exposure our ancestors had they were producing about 10.000 iu of vitamin D3 per day.  The USDA recommended daily allowance is 400 iu per day.  I personally take anywhere from 4-10,000 per day depending on sun exposure.  Remember that vitamin D3 is critical for hormone function and low levels are associated with depression and behavioral disorders so those who suffer from these conditions should take a look at their vitamin D3 intake.  Vitamin D3 is a fat soluble vitamin which means we can store it and it could develop toxicity.  So do your homework and see what works for you.  Personally, I have never experienced this or know anyone who has, when taking high doses. 

Magnesium citrate is one form of magnesium that is highly absorbable and relatively inexpensive.  There are many good sources, here is a link to one source: Natural Calm

Now I’m not condemning milk or dairy, to the contrary I am quite a fan of it especially raw milk products, kefir yogurt and aged cheeses.  I personally consume quite a bit of milk when I am on a strength or weight gaining phase of training.  I think it is also important to consider that most folks who do strength training have in increase demand for not only calories but calcium as well and, as a general rule, can handle higher calcium intake since there is a greater demand for bone growth and stress on the central nervous system which requires calcium to function properly. 

Here are few interesting reads on the topic of dairy, calcium and osteoporosis.  A few of them are a little lengthy, but for those seeking knowledge I encourage you to read them.

How milk causes osteoporosis (self explanatory).

Here are some interesting facts from International Osteoporosis Foundation about osteoporosis and levels of dairy consumption.  There is a correlation between countries that have a higher consumption of dairy and equally higher rate of osteoporosis.

This one talks about the relationship between calcium and magnesium.  This also explains why if we don’t get enough magnesium, calcium is not absorbed properly and we have more circulating calcium and propensity for joint problems, CVD, etc.  So taking more calcium is not necessarily the best thing to do.

This one is vitamin D3 information.  This also goes into detail explaining the importance of vitamin D3 and how it is necessary for calcium absorption.  Again, increasing calcium may not be the best thing to do. 

And finally, more info on vitamin D3.  It is important to note that Vitamin D3 is important in the production of hormones where those deficiencies have been linked to depression and mood disorders to name a few.

Calcium is not only essential for our bones but essential for muscular contractions.

Guys, I know this is a lot of information, but the more you have the better decisions you will be able to make for yourselves and families.  I am also a big believer that it is important that we learn how we respond to certain foods and where they fit in our diets.  Not everything with work for everyone so a good knowledge base mixed with common sense goes a looooong way.


Training log

Ok my training this week.  This week is a ramp up week and I am training at 65% of max at 8-10 reps and next week will be 70%.  Monday was squats, bench and pull ups.   Wednesday was boxing padwork and later deadlifts.  I have been continuing my new year’s resolution of 3000 push ups and 3000 sit ups for the month.  So far, I on schedule with no problems and can knock out 65 in a row with ease.  My protein intake has been up around 200-220g per day.  Diet is still pretty much paleo…lots of protein and healthy fat (lots), veggies, some fruit little starch and little sugar.  

Pretty short and anti-climactic on this part, I know.