The Ashe Center - Calcium Handout Calcium Calcium is a mineral that is essential to bone and tooth formation. Calcium is necessary for bone structure and strength, nerve function, muscular contraction and blood clotting. If there is insufficient dietary calcium, the body will take calcium from the bones to meet its needs. A long-standing calcium deficiency may result in weakened bones due to loss of calcium, a condition called osteoporosis . Inadequate calcium intake, especially between the ages of 20 and 30, may result in the less bone density.
Women are eight times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis.
Women have less bone mass than men and hormonal changes occurring at menopause tend to accelerate calcium loss. Osteoporosis is a significant contributor to broken bones in the elderly. Young women may prevent osteoporosis from developing later in life by eating an adequate amount of foods high in calcium and performing weight-bearing exercise on a regular basis. Dairy products have the highest calcium concentration of all foods. They contain lactose and Vitamin D which enhance calcium absorption.