99% of the calcium in the human body is found in the teeth and skeleton. The remaining 1% is present in soft tissues and blood. Calcium is responsible for the formation of strong and healthy bones, the transmission of nerve impulses, muscle contractions, and the delivery of nutrients to cells. Strength training promotes better absorption of calcium. However, intense activities that require great endurance (triathlon, for example) can start the process of ridding the body of calcium.

Milk and other dairy products are the main sources of this mineral in our daily diet. Despite this fact, the vast majority of strength athletes and bodybuilders limit their intake of dairy products, especially in the pre-competition period. They firmly believe that dairy products contain excess sodium, but this is complete nonsense. 1 cup (238 ml) of skimmed milk contains 125 mg of sodium and 301 mg of calcium. In turn, 2 egg whites, which are popular with bodybuilders, contain 211 mg of sodium and 13 mg of calcium. In this situation, sodium will not be able to cause any problems. And one more thing, skimmed milk is the best source of low-fat calcium.

Let’s find out how harmful milk and its products are for us? No harm! As mentioned earlier, milk consists of two proteins (whey and casein), which are responsible for muscle growth, fat burning, and also for body recovery.

But not everything is so simple. It is necessary to pay special attention to the properties of calcium, which is contained in milk and its products. Numerous studies suggest that this mineral can help with weight management. How exactly, you ask? Calcium enhances the process of splitting subcutaneous fat by the body. Accordingly, the more it is contained in the fat cell, the more fat the body can burn.

In one well-known experiment, 3 dozen obese people were offered a choice of one of the following diet options, designed for six months:
1) usual diet, with a calcium content of 400-500 mg/day + placebo;
2) regular diet, with a calcium content of 800 mg / day
3) a diet consisting of three portions of dairy products per day, including 1300 mg of calcium / day + placebo.

Each of the diets reduced the total number of calories per day by 500 units. To At the end of the study, the average weight loss for participants was 6.5 kg with a regular diet, 8.5 kg with a calcium supplement, and about 11 kg with an increase in dairy consumption.

Fat reduction rates were 19 percent of total fat loss with the regular diet, 50% with calcium supplementation, and 66.2% with the high-milk diet.

In general, the intake of “milk” calcium led to a noticeable weight loss due to fat loss in obese people who followed a low-calorie diet. Obviously, increasing the daily dosage of calcium contributed to an increase in % fat loss in the trunk area. And ultimately, taking “milk” calcium turned out to be a more effective way than taking calcium supplements. True, there is one but, although this discovery is significant, but its results should be taken with caution, because the financing of this study was carried out by the interested party – the national dairy council.

No one can tell you with 100% certainty whether the calcium present in other foods, such as green salad leaves, has the same effect. This requires additional research and development. Toлючевой вывод, который напрашивается из всего вышесказанного, гласит: если вы стараетесь сбросить вес, не следует отказываться от молока + покупайте обезжиренные продукты (низкожирные).

Summing up, we can say that calcium, which is included in the cells of dairy products, is a necessary component of your diet to maintain your physical health. If you consume calcium-rich foods daily, your blood levels will be at the proper level. Conversely, if the body does not receive calcium from food in the required amount, then it will take it from the bones. Accordingly, over time, bones can become more fragile and cause unnecessary injury. The parts of the body most susceptible to such changes are primarily your spine, wrists, and hips. An even more severe consequence of a lack of calcium in the body can be the development of osteoporosis (weakening of bone tissue). Female athletes suffering from this disease, as practice shows, limit calcium intake, as a result of which have weakened bones and irregular menstruation.

Women who are professionally involved in sports that require regular weighing are often at risk of losing calcium stores in their bones. В 1990 году в NPC (нац. физическом комитете), штат Северная Toаролина, было проведено исследование, в котором участниками были женщины-бодибилдерши. The subject of the study was the change in the weight of the participants and the percentage of subcutaneous fat. Athletes regularly recorded their daily diet, answered questions about health, training and nutrition.

None of them took milk and dairy products in the pre-competitive period, that is, 2-3 months before the start of the competition, moreover, the vast majority never included these products in their diet. And also, none of the athletes took calcium supplements.

In 81% of the women tested, there was a delay in menstruation 2 months before the competition. A low-calorie diet and, as a result, a decrease in the proportion of subcutaneous fat, plus constant stress from waiting for competitions, reduced the body’s production of the hormone estrogen (responsible for the regularity of the menstrual cycle). Without the necessary amount of this hormone in the body of a woman, as with menopause, menstruation stops. And with low levels of estrogen, bones also weaken. Almost all the participants looked like prisoners of Buchenwald. The average subcutaneous fat was only 9% … And such a low level is another reason for the risk of weakening bones and the development of osteoporosis.

If any of the above applies to you, don’t hesitate for a minute, and immediately include foods high in calcium in your diet.

If milk is contraindicated for you or you cannot stand it, try low-fat yogurts. They are rich in calcium and do not cause intestinal problems such as bloating or flatulence caused by milk intake. If you are following a diet that does not include dairy products, use alternative sources of calcium.

Many of us simply cannot digest milk and process lactose. And the thing is that we lack the enzyme “lactase”, which is involved in the absorption of lactose – milk sugar that can absorb calcium from the intestines. If you are one of those who do not digest lactose, consume foods that replace This enzyme is, for example, lactaide. Such drugs replenish the supply of the missing lactase and contribute to better absorption of lactose. Another reasonable solution is to take lactaid milk. It contains lactase, and you can find the product in any supermarket.

Calcium supplements are also worth it, as the stubborn statistics tell us that 3 out of 4 adults are deficient in calcium. The most available source of calcium among other supplements is calcium citrate. Calcium supplements are best taken along with magnesium, boron and vitamin D, which are involved in the bone building process.

The Recommended Daily Intake (DRI) for calcium intake from food and supplements is as follows: women aged 19 to 50, 1,000 mg; elderly women over 50 years old – 1200 mg; pregnant women – 1000 mg; lactating mothers – 1000 mg; men whose age is from 19 to 50 years old – 1000 mg, men over 50 years old – 1200 mg. Official sources recommend taking calcium supplements along with vitamin D (which promotes better absorption) for people who do not receive calcium in the required amounts, including female bodybuilders. If even a small percentage of calcium is present in your daily menu, you should not take the entire daily dosage in the form of tablets. Too much calcium can cause kidney stones to form.

In order to avoid the development and effective treatment of osteoporosis in women who have reached the menopause (menopause), doctors’ recommendations for a daily dose of calcium are as follows – 1500 mg.

Women, Attention: If you experience irregular periods, missed periods, or stopped on the eve of a competition, you should contact a sports medicine practitioner or a gynecologist who is familiar with your sport. Stopping your body’s production of the hormone estrogen at a young age can permanently impact bone health. As a result, you risk developing osteoporosis and related problems at an early age.

By including a small amount of dairy products in your diet, you will be able to maintain your figure and your own health for many years to come.