Calcium is an essential mineral that is required by the body for various functions. It is used for building and maintaining strong bones and teeth. It is also used in the cardiovascular and nervous systems for preventing all kinds of health conditions such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, lyme disease, etc.

It is, thus, extremely necessary to have calcium-rich foods as a part of your daily diet. Dairy products constitute as the primary source of calcium on an everyday basis. Of these, milk and curd are the two most important. But in case, you're wondering which one of the two is better for you, read on to find out.

Calcium content:

There has been much debate about which is the better source of calcium - milk or curd. In very simple terms, milk ranks higher than curd in terms of calcium content. 100g of milk contains around 125mg of calcium, whereas 100g of curd has a lower calcium content of approximately 85mg. So if you really want to up your calcium intake, milk will be a better choice.

Other health benefits

If one is to take into consideration other health benefits provided by these two food products, curd takes the lead by a landslide.

Following are the known benefits of curd:
- It is far easier to digest
- It is a suitable dairy product for those who are lactose intolerant
- It cleanses the digestive tract
- It prevents infections of the stomach and intestines


In the end, it's for you to decide what your body needs more. If it requires more calcium, choosing milk would be wise; but if you cannot digest milk, opting for curd will ensure you get a healthy dose of calcium along with scores of other health benefits.

Calcium is known for its role in maintaining the bone health, from keeping your teeth stronger to normal functioning of the cells. But there are various factors, which lead to a deficiency of calcium in the human body and paves the way for several complications.

Here are the top three signs that indicate you are suffering from calcium deficiency.

Difficulty in sleeping: Sleep is essential for your bone health and calcium is directly associated with your sleep cycle. The level of calcium in your bones rises and falls when you are asleep and it reaches its peak when you are in deep slumber. This indicates that when you are unable to sleep properly, it is a warning sign of calcium deficiency. There are various researches that have confirmed, that by increasing the level of calcium, it is possible to restore the normal sleep cycle of an individual. This is also related to the role that calcium plays in the production of a sleep hormone called melatonin. When the calcium content in the body is really low, this hormone is not produced, thus, making it difficult for a person to sleep.
Difficulty in losing extra pounds: Yet another frustrating aspect of any individual’s life is the inability to shed off excess pounds. This issue is also linked with the lack of calcium supply in the body. The calcium that’s stored in the cells assists in the processing and storage of fat. So the fat cells with high calcium content burn faster, making you lose weight. Thus, if you have trouble losing weight in spite of having a well-regulated diet and regular workout, it’s a sign that you are suffering from low calcium.

Paresthesia: Though this ailment is not much heard of, it could be a sign of calcium deficiency. Paresthesia is a nervous disorder, which causes tingling sensation, tremors, numbness and loss of sensitivity. It could also lead to poor concentration, amnesia, confusion, hearing impairment, twitches and other physical as well as neurological impairment. This is because low calcium in the blood is connected with the health of your nerves.
The deficiency of calcium can manifest itself in different intensity, ranging from the non-existent to minimal to severe levels. Chronic calcium deficiency can lead to life-threatening diseases like rickets, osteopenia, and even osteoporosis. Therefore, you shouldn’t ignore these signs and consult an expert without delay.

Adults in India consume on an average about half the amount of calcium than required for healthy bones, according to a global map of dietary calcium intake launched on Friday. Calcium is a major component of bone, accounting for between 30-35 per cent of its mass and much of its strength. Low calcium intake has been linked to lower bone-mineral density, which increases the risk of osteoporosis and broken bones. In India, the average calcium intake is only 429 mg per day against the requirement of 800-1000 mg per day, according to the map launched by the International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF), a nongovernmental organisation. Across the 74 countries included in the map, the estimate of average dietary calcium intake among adults varies widely, from a low of 175 mg/day in Nepal to a high of 1233 mg/day in Iceland, according to the findings presented at a symposium held in Krakow, Poland.

Countries in Asia, Africa and South America mostly have low calcium intakes, ranging between about 400 and 700 mg/day, showed the map. The map reflects the findings of a recent study published in the journal Osteoporosis International. “The Map reveals that in many parts of Asia and Southeast Asia the population has extremely low intakes of calcium in the diet, with levels often less than 400 to 500 mg a day,” said Ambrish Mithal, co-author of the study and IOF board member from India. “In China and India, the world’s most populous countries, the average intake is shown to be only 338 mg/day and 429 mg/day respectively,” Mithal added.

The amount of calcium needed varies at different stages of life. Calcium requirements are especially high in the teenage years due to the rapid growth of the skeleton, and at older age, when the body’s ability to absorb calcium declines. In older adults, bone loss occurs at a rate of about one per cent per year, resulting in calcium loss of approximately 15 g per year.

The recommendations for daily calcium intake vary by country, however 800-1000 mg/day is generally recommended for healthy adults, with higher amounts recommended for teenagers, postmenopausal women, the elderly, and people with osteoporosis. Foods rich in calcium include all dairy foods (milk, yoghurt, cheeses), certain vegetables (broccoli or kale), whole canned fish with soft edible bones such as sardines, some nuts, calcium-set soy products (tofu, soy milk), and some mineral waters.

According to a latest study, those with deficiency in calcium in their blood are on a higher risk of experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) than those with optimal levels. Calcium plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones and joints, strong teeth and healthy blood vessels. It also helps regulate blood pressure and prevent diabetes. The researchers revealed that Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is fatal for over 90 percent of patients, and more than half of men and close to 70 percent of women who die of SCA have shown to have no clinical history of heart disease prior to the cardiac mishap.

SCA is one of the leading causes of death in the United States. It is also reported that it kills more people than any single cancer.

Lead investigator Sumeet S. Chugh, MD, Pauline and Harold Price Chair in CardiacElectrophysiology, Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute, Los Angeles, CA, said, noted that serum calcium levels were lower in individuals who had a sudden cardiac arrest than in a control group.

The findings revealed that patients with serum calcium in the lowest quartile (<8.95 mg/dL) had twice the odds of sudden cardiac arrest compared to those in the highest quartile (>9.55 mg/dL), even after controlling for multiple patient characteristics which included demographics, cardiovascular risk factors and comorbidities, and medication use.

For the study, team first gathered data from 2002 until 2015 from the Oregon Sudden Unexpected Death Study (Oregon SUDS). The objective of the Oregon SUDS is to provide an enhanced overview of who is at risk for out-of-hospital sudden cardiac arrest.
This study included 267 SCA cases and 445 control subjects whose serum calcium levels were examined during routine medical care. All SCA cases had had serum calcium levels measured in the 90 days prior to their cardiac arrest.

The total serum calcium levels of each patient were corrected by their serum albumin level to estimate a more physiologically relevant corrected calcium level. SCA cases had a significantly higher percentage of African Americans and patients with diabetes mellitus, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chronic kidney disease compared to the control group.

The researchers noted that further study and research were required to explain the mechanisms underlying the adverse associations with lower calcium levels and to determine whether controlling calcium levels improves the effect in the general population or in high-risk patients.The lower serum calcium levels,even within the normal range of values, was found to trigger the risk for sudden cardiac death, the researchers said.

The researchers recommended that serum calcium levels should be examined and followed longitudinally more carefully.

Here are some nutritional foods loaded in calcium

1. Milk: Another reason to reach devour a tall glass of milk. A cup of Raw Milk contains about 300 mg of calcium.

2. Soya: Soya milk, soya beans and tofu are all great sources of calcium. It's also got iron, magnesium, protein and selenium.One and a half servings of tofu (130 grams) and close to two servings of soy milk (500 ml) would equal to calcium derived from one cup (250 ml) of milk.

3. Oranges: One orange has 60 mg of calcium! So snack on this sweet and tangy fruit through the day. Oranges are also one of the most important source of Vitamin C which helps protect the immune system and destroy free radicals that cause cell damage.

4. Almonds: Almonds are high on protein which means they keep you full for longer. They're rich in monounsaturated fats which is the type of fat that's known to reduce the risk of heart disease. It also helps with weight-loss and reduces cholesterol.

कॅल्शियमची कमतरता

निरामय हाडांसाठी कॅल्शियमची खूप गरज असते. कॅल्शियमचे शरीरात कमी होणारे प्रमाण हे अन्य आजारांना निमंत्रण देते. त्यामुळे ही तूट वेळीच लक्षात घ्यायला हवी. त्यावर उपायही योजायला हवेत. कॅल्शियम हा दात आणि हाडांमधील अत्यंत मूलभूत घटक आहे. त्यामुळे पेशींच्या कार्यासोबत, हाडांचे प्रसरण व आकुंचन पावणेही अवलंबून असते. पेशीचे विभाजन, प्रवाही रक्त, रक्तातील अन्य घटकांचे प्रभावी कार्यक्षमतेसाठी कॅल्शियमची आवश्यकता असते. ही कॅल्शियमची मात्रा नेमकी किती प्रमाणात असावी, याचे व्यक्तीनुसार वैद्यकीय ठोकताळे निराळे असतात. त्याची तूट हाडांची दुखणी निर्माण करते तर त्याचा अतिरिक्त पुरवठ्यामुळे हाडे तुटण्याची शक्यता असते.

* कॅल्शियम कमी असल्यास काय होते?

>> टेटनी नावाच्या शरीरातील स्नायूचे कोणत्याही वेळी आकुंचन, प्रसरण होऊन विशिष्ट प्रकारचा हाडांच्या दुखण्याचा अॅटॅक येण्याची शक्यता.
>> चेहऱ्याच्या स्नायूंमध्ये बिघाड किंवा सांधे तसेच हातांच्या स्नायूंमध्ये वेदना.
>> श्वासनलिकेतील स्नायूमध्ये अडसर
>> रक्तातील कॅल्शियमचे प्रमाण कमी असल्यामुळे स्नायूचे वेगाने आकुंचन व प्रसरण
>> कॅल्शियमच्या अतिरिक्त सेवनामुळे मूतखडा होण्याची शक्यता
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>> उच्चरक्तदाबाच्या तक्रारी

* कॅल्शियमची गरज कशासाठी?

कॅल्शियममुळे शरीरात जैविक घटकांचे संतुलन कायम राहतेहाडांच्या स्वास्थासाठी आवश्यक असणारा महत्त्वाचा घटक. त्यामुळे शरीरात स्केलेटन या भागाच्या निर्मितीमधील कॅल्शियम क्षारांची निकड पूर्ण होते.स्केलेटनमध्ये कॅल्शियम लोहाची भूमिका अत्यंत महत्त्वाची असते. त्यामुळे शरीरातील जैविक क्रियांचे संतुलन राहते. मानवी शरीरातील ९९ टक्के कॅल्शियम हे स्केलेटनमध्ये तर एक टक्का कॅल्शियम हे हाडे आणि दातांत असते. शरीराला कॅल्शियमचा पुरवठा योग्य प्रमाणात झाला नाही तर कॅल्शियमच्या विविध स्रोतांमधून शरीर ही तूट भागवते. परिणामी हाडे ठिसूळ होतात. दात किडतात किंवा हलू लागतात.

शरीराला आहारातून मुख्यत्वे कॅल्शियम मिळत असते. मूत्रविसर्जनातून जे घटक जातात त्यात कॅल्शियमचे प्रमाण अधिक असते. म्हणून कॅल्शियमचा मुख्यत्वे मोठा साठा हा स्केलेटनमध्ये असतो. कॅल्शियमचे शरीरात प्रमाण कमी झाले तर बाह्योपचारांमध्ये कॅल्शियमची औषधे वा गोळ्यांच समावेश केला जातो. त्यात कॅल्शियम फॅास्फेटचाही समावेश असतो.

>> कॅल्शियम संप्रेरकासारखे काम करते. त्यामुळे पेशींचे आरोग्य बळकट होते, आहारातून शरीराला मिळालेला कॅल्शियमचा पुरवठा हा रक्तघटकांमधील कॅल्शियमचे प्रमाण कायम संयत ठेवतो.

>> गरोदरपणात स्नायूंच्या बदलांमध्ये शरीरातील हाडांच्या संरचनेत थोडा बदल होतो. त्यामुळे यावेळी कॅल्शियमची आवश्यकता मोठ्या प्रमाणात असते.

>> फ्रॅक्चर, वजन कमी होणे, कर्करोग, दीर्घकाळची विश्रांती यामुळे कॅल्शियमचा निगेटिव्ह बॅलन्स जमा होण्याची शक्यता असते. ज्यामुळे ऑस्टिओपोरायसिस होऊ शकतो.

>> शरीरात कॅल्शियमचे प्रमाण योग्य ठेवण्यासाठी पीटीएच म्हणजे पॅराथायराईड हार्मेान्स आणि डायहाड्रोऑक्सीक्लोलेकॅलकीफेरॅाल हे घटक नियंत्रणबिंदूचे काम उत्तम करतात.