Dairy Provides Calcium, but There’s a Catch
The RDA for most adults is 1,000 mg/day, rising to 1,200 mg for women over 50 and men over 70. IMO, the average daily intake of calcium needed to poison your body is between 1000 mg and 1200 mg daily. There are studies that indicate an average daily intake of around 741 mg/day of elemental calcium is all our bodies need to function efficiently.
Your body can only absorb about 500 mg of elemental calcium at one time. The UK recommends 700 mg/day, while the World Health Organization recommends only 500 mg/day. IMO, 500–600 mg daily is evidently sufficient for maintaining a healthy calcium balance.
Studies also indicate that on a low-calcium diet, supplements that provide 360 to 450mg daily of elemental calcium are both safe and effective. This daily dose levels may be effective in helping to reduce the risk of fractures in people who are on a dairy-free diet. Split supplemental dose throughout the day.
Only take calcium supplements when a meal needs fortifying. As you know, dairy is not the only source of calcium. Some days the meals you choose to consume will provide all the calcium you need and then some.
On others days, the meals you eat may only provide a limited amount. On those days it’s probably best if you supplemental your meals with calcium. Pure calcium citrate is consistently ranked among the top, most tolerated and best absorbed calcium supplements.
That said, a few early symptoms often associated with a sudden increase to toxic RDA levels of calcium include: stomach cramps, frequent urination and constipation. Add no more than 1/8 teaspoon (0.63ml) of calcium citrate to each (deficient) main meal of the day. Doing so will help fortify your food, thereby helping you reach, IMO, the actual safe levels of daily calcium intake.
Calcium is the main focus of the Dairy Industry’s marketing. It is central to sales, profitability and their brand awareness campaign (milk is essential for preventing brittle bones). The propaganda, that calcium deficiency is a widespread health crisis, encourages consumers to purchase dairy products.
Suggesting that a dairy-free diet will lead to health problems. However, this propaganda is considered by some researchers to be an overhyped calcium crisis, designed to increase sales and profits. Often framing dairy as the only or best source of calcium.
The Dairy Industry’s propaganda advocates that daily dairy consumption (usually three servings of liquid milk) is necessary to prevent brittle bones. This runs counter to what studies generally show. That three servings/day of liquid milk is associated with high intake and a health risk.
That associated health risk is oxidative stress and is further compounded by prolonged and constant consumption of milk products, UPFs and QSR foods. Studies have found that high dairy consumption (particularly non-fermented, liquid milk) results in high levels of oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when free radical production exceeds the body’s antioxidant capacity, thus leading to a harmful, damaging state.
This imbalance will often act as a major trigger for chronic inflammation. Chronic inflammation disrupts the body’s normal repair process. Such a disruption negatively affects bone mineral density and strength by causing an imbalance between bone resorption (the breakdown of bone tissue) and bone formation.
A disruption of this process prevents proper repair, resulting in a decline in bone quality and an increased risk of fractures. Research published in the British Medical Journal has questioned the link between high dairy consumption and high bone density. With some studies linking a high rate of bone fragility to high-dairy-consuming populations.
Supplements That Compliment Your Diet
Here are a few things you can do to complement your diet. Drink about 1 quart (1L) of my homemade electrolyte water (when possible) daily. Homemade Electrolyte water is easy to make.