FAQ: Cal Mag Capsules
- Calcium and Weight Loss
- The foods and lifestyle factors that can destroy calcium and interfere with its absorption.
- Food sources of calcium.
- What elements are necessary for proper absorption and utilization of calcium?
1) Calcium and Weight Loss
While researching the possibility that calcium could reduce high blood pressure, Dr. Michael Zemel, of the University of Tennessee, discovered that test subjects had unexpectedly lost weight over the one year study, although there was no intentional reduction in calories. The individuals lost an average of 11 pounds. Additional research showed that body fat was significantly lower in people who consumed more calcium, and there was a dramatic reduction in levels of obesity in people with high levels of calcium in their diet. The high-calcium groups lost 7.7 percent of their body weight.
Another interesting facet of the study was that the majority of the weight loss from the higher-calcium group was in the abdominal region. The way fat cells handle fat is determined by the amount of calcium in the diet. Results indicated that if your diet is low in calcium, hormones are stimulated that signal the body to store fat.
Of course, calcium supplementation alone shouldn't be viewed as the ultimate solution for weight loss, but increasing your daily calcium intake may give that additional boost needed by many in the struggle to maintain healthy weight.
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2) The foods and lifestyle factors that can destroy calcium and interfere with its absorption
Caffeine, sugar, alcohol, smoking, aspirin, sedatives, barbiturates and many processed foods not only inhibit the absorption of daily calcium, but can deplete precious reserves as well. Phosphoric acid, for example, which can be found in carbonated drinks, and fast foods, hinders the absorption of calcium. And caffeine and preservatives are known to leach calcium from the system.
Highly refined foods like white flour and white sugar, because they are un-natural and your body doesn’t know exactly what to do with them, pull nutrients from your system to facilitate their “processing”. So, not only are processed foods adding virtually nothing from a nutritional standpoint, they are in many cases, creating unnecessary depletions of valuable nutrients - which create cravings. Most people are aware that most convenience foods offer little nutritional value, but few realize the damage they do. Healthy, natural foods contribute nutritional value to the body by supplying valuable vitamins and minerals. If you’re battling a weight issue, one of the first steps is to eliminate processed foods from your diet. The addition of supplements give your body the tools it needs to rebuild and repair the damage caused by nutritional deficiencies.
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3) Food Sources of Calcium
Data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) indicate that more than 75% of Americans are not meeting current dietary recommendations for calcium. Although many foods are labeled “calcium enriched”, getting the daily requirement of calcium from diet alone may be difficult to achieve.
Dairy products (milk, cheese, yogurt, etc.) are touted to be the most concentrated food sources of calcium. But, unfortunately, the process of pasteurization kills off much of the nutrient value because the milk is heated to 161 degrees. An even more damaging process is called “Ultra” pasteurization where the milk is heated to 200 degrees. At this point, it becomes sterile and does not need to be refrigerated (bugs won’t even touch it!). Very few, if any, nutrients could survive this process. Certainly none of the enzymes still exist that enable milk to be properly digested. This may account for the high number of people who are “lactose intolerant”. And, what other additional bio-reactions could those enzymes have facilitated if they were still available?
When sources quote the nutrient content of various foods, destructive processing methods are rarely taken into account. The nutritional content of foods can vary widely before, and after the use of damaging preservative, and sterilization techniques.
Today’s food processing practices make it extremely difficult to actually get the full requirement of 1,200 mg. of calcium per day, from your diet alone. Alternative food sources of calcium include, sardines, free-range eggs, and organic, (pesticide free) leafy green vegetables. But you’ll have to eat a lot of these to meet your calcium needs! No wonder obesity and disease is on the rise!
To take advantage of the weight loss potential offered by Calcium, the easiest and most effective solution is to supplement with a highly absorbable, complete calcium/magnesium formulation like Vital Earth’s Cal-Mag. This assures you are getting an adequate dose of daily dietary calcium to satisfy essential muscle and nerve requirements, facilitate the proper chemical reactions that help to regulate weight, while also rebuilding bone, helping to eliminate the vicious pattern of bone loss due to low blood calcium.
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4) What elements are necessary for proper absorption and utilization of calcium?
Calcium is one of the more difficult elements for the body to digest, absorb and utilize properly. Care must be taken to provide the many co-factors required for calcium and magnesium to be utilized by the body. Without them your expensive supplements may simply pass through the body unused.
We’ve added the following essential elements to Vital Earth’s Cal-Mag formula which have been clinically proven to increase absorption and utilization: Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Fulvic Minerals, Phosphorous, and Potassium.
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