Happy Monday!  At the bottom of this post, you’ll see the winner for “My Favorite Things Giveaway”, but first, I’ve got a very special post for you today.

Its from an expert in the supplement industry.  I’ve read a few of Brett’s articles online, and found them very informative.  I also love that he also cites research, so he’s not just providing his opinion.  That’s why I was excited when he offered to do a guest post for all of you.  You know that I believe that certain nutrients can affect our health, so Brett is here to educate us a bit more about calcium, and why its so important for athletes and regular exercisers.

Here’s a bit more info about Brett:

Brett Warren is a biochemical research scientist based in Boston, Massachusetts. He puts his expertise to work on a daily basis by developing sports supplements for Force Factor. Brett loves weightlifting and working out at the gym almost as much as he loves his job. In addition to his work with Force Factor, Brett spends lots of time with his family hiking, biking, and enjoying the outdoors.

Calcium and the Athlete – Are you taking enough?

If you are an athlete, or even an armchair warrior who works out regularly, plays some hoops, or likes to smack the tennis ball around, you’ve probably read up at least a little on the subject of what you can do to help condition your body for maximum performance. You probably realize the importance of things like weight maintenance, strong bones, good muscle tone, heart health, and keeping the blood pressure down. But what you may not know is how much all of these things are affected by one of the most vital minerals in your body—calcium.

Most people already know that calcium plays a key role in keeping bones strong. But bone strength is not the only thing that calcium is good for. Calcium is also one of the key nutrients that regulate body strength and overall health. It is an essential component in the proper functioning of the muscles, the heart, the blood, the nerves, and many other body parts that are vital to optimal sports performance. Many studies, such as these, have shown that there is not only a link between calcium intake and healthy body composition, but also a positive correlation between calcium and athletic performance. If you know what calcium does, it’s not hard to understand why. Let’s take a look at some of the beneficial effects of calcium on athletic prowess:

Bone density maintenance

Nothing is more important for achieving and maintaining optimum bone density than calcium. Athletes especially are always at risk for serious bone fractures and in some cases also for bone loss. Our bodies are engaged in a continual process of removing and replacing small amounts of calcium from our bones. When it gets to the point where the body is removing more calcium than it is replacing, the bones weaken and have a greater chance of breaking. At a young age, accumulating a lot of calcium in your body helps build up a steady deposit to insure that your body won’t have to “borrow” too much from your bones in later years. But even in later life, calcium intake is needed to maintain what is already stored to help your bones stay healthy. If there isn’t enough calcium in your diet, your body will compensate by taking what it needs from your bones. Continued withdrawals of calcium from the bone bank can lead to osteoporosis, a disease characterized by loss of bone mass. This is something that nobody wants to suffer through in his or her older years but is especially hurtful to those who look forward to remain active as they age.

Weight management and lower blood pressure

A 1996 scientific research study showed a significant effect of calcium intake on healthy blood pressure readings. The study reached the conclusion that “calcium intake plays an integral role in the maintenance of normal blood pressure, and that adequate calcium intake may help reduce the risk of high blood pressure”. Other studies have found that a diet high in calcium turns more calories to heat than to body fat and that calcium-rich diets contribute to fat loss in the stomach area.

Prevention of muscle cramps

Just about all of us have experienced a muscle cramp at some time or other. It can happen anytime—while we sit, walk, or even while we sleep. But athletes are even more prone to muscle cramps than the average person. Cramping tends to be especially common among endurance athletes (e.g., marathon runners) and those who perform strenuous physical activity. Although there are many possible causes of muscle cramps (inadequate stretching, muscle fatigue, dehydration, exercising in intense heat), and all of them are not even known, one possible cause is calcium deficiency. This is because calcium is known to be a vital element in relaxing muscles and a muscle cramp is nothing more than an involuntary and forcibly contracted muscle that refuses to relax.

Assistance in the clotting process

Believe it or not, calcium is also an important part of the blood clotting process. As described in this article, calcium “works together with vitamin K and a protein called fibrinogen in the clotting cascade. Without adequate levels of calcium and vitamin K, blood will take longer to clot”.

Your body will get the calcium it needs in one of two ways: either from the foods and supplements you ingest, or from your body pulling calcium from your bones where it’s stored. Guess which way is better? Some good sources of calcium include dairy products, vegetables (especially leafy greens), beans, herbs, and certain foods fortified with calcium, such as orange juice and some cereals.

Calcium is important to all of us. It is especially important for athletes because they are more likely to lose calcium (along with other minerals) through perspiration, and because a lack of calcium affects so many things that are vital to athletic performance. If you are an athlete, or even an average Joe who works out regularly, always keep a healthy amount of calcium intake at the top of your priority list.

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Winner of the “Favorite Things” Giveaway

Thanks for all the entries! (and there were a lot!)  I’ll have to do another contest like this closer to summer, with a new batch of my favorite things.

So the winner is……

#98  – Mari427

Please email me your mailing address ([email protected])

Thanks again to everyone for entering!!!