Pregnancy, postmenopausal estrogen decline, calcium-deficient diets, and little exposure to sunlight cause women to lack calcium.
Calcium helps build and maintain strong bones and teeth, participates in muscle, nerve, cardiovascular and blood clotting processes. Adults need about 800-1,000 mg of calcium per day. Anyone can lack this nutrient, but women are a high-risk group due to the reasons below.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Theo Times of IndiaDuring pregnancy and breastfeeding, women’s calcium needs increase to meet the development of the fetus’s bone and teeth systems and provide calcium to the baby through breast milk. If the diet is not enough, the body will mobilize calcium reserves from the bones, gradually reducing bone density, increasing the risk of calcium deficiency and osteoporosis.
Estrogen decline after menopause
After menopause, the ovaries reduce estrogen production – a hormone that plays an important role in maintaining bone density. When levels of this hormone decrease, bone destruction occurs faster than bone formation, causing calcium reserves in bones to be lost at a high rate. As a result, bones become thin, brittle and prone to fracture, especially in the spine, wrist and femoral neck.
Shrimp is rich in calcium, protein and many nutrients. Image: Bui Thuy
Strict diet to stay in shape
Many women lose weight by cutting back on food intake or eliminating many food groups from their diets. If the diet is not properly formulated, the amount of calcium provided to the body is lower than the daily needs. Eating too little also reduces the amount of protein, vitamin D and nutrients that support the absorption and use of calcium.
Women lose weight scientifically with a scientific diet, combining regular exercise, getting enough sleep and maintaining a reasonable calorie deficit to protect health, muscle mass and endocrine.
Do not expose to sunlight
Lack of exposure to sunlight can increase the risk of calcium deficiency indirectly due to lack of vitamin D. When skin is exposed to UVB rays, the body synthesizes vitamin D – a necessary nutrient to increase calcium absorption in the intestines.
Theo Hindustan Timeswomen who often work indoors, cover too much or are less exposed to sunlight will produce less vitamin D, causing the ability to absorb calcium to decrease. If this condition lasts long and not enough vitamin D and calcium are supplemented, the body will mobilize calcium from the bones to maintain physiological activity, increasing the risk of osteoporosis.