Health-and-Nutrition/C2/Importance-of-Calcium/English
| Title Slide | Welcome to the spoken tutorial on the importance of calcium. |
| Image: Collage of functional benefits of calcium
Image: Calcium requirements during different age groups Image: Collage of symptoms of calcium deficiency Image: Collage of food sources of Calcium |
In this tutorial, we will learn about:
Role of calcium and its requirements in our body Symptoms of its deficiency Calcium rich food sources |
| Image: Bones and teeth
Image: Calcium in blood Image: Excretion through urine, stool, sweat |
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in our body.
99% of the body’s calcium is found in bones and teeth. The remaining 1% is present in our blood. It gets excreted from our body through stool, urine and sweat. |
| Image: Healthy bones and Bone strength
GIF: Reabsorption and withdrawing of calcium from bones |
Calcium serves many functions in our body
The key function is the development and maintenance of bones. If there is an excess of calcium in the body, it gets deposited in the bones. In case of deficiency, it can be taken from the bones. |
| Image: Nerve impulse transmission
GIF: muscle contraction and relaxation |
Calcium is essential for the transfer of nerve signals in our body.
It helps in muscle contraction and its movement. |
| Image: Clotting of blood
Image: Secretion of hormones Image: Weight maintenance Image: Maintenance of blood pressure Image: Heart health |
It also helps in stopping the blood flow after a cut.
Calcium is needed for the secretion of hormones like insulin and adrenaline. Other benefits are maintaining body weight, blood pressure and heart health. |
| Image: Different age groups
Image: Infants +Bone sign with 500mg while editing Image: 9 year old+ Bone sign with 600mg Image: Adolescence & Bone sign with 800 mg Image: Adult men and women with bone sign 600mg Image: Pregnant and lactating woman + Bone sign with 1200mg |
Daily recommended intake for calcium varies for different age groups.
It is higher during periods of rapid growth such as childhood and adolescence. For Infants until 12 months, 500 milligrams of calcium per day is recommended. For children upto 9 years, 600 milligrams per day is recommended. The requirements increase upto 800 milligrams per day during adolescence. For adults, it is 600 milligrams per day. The calcium requirements are also high during pregnancy and lactation. During pregnancy and lactation, 1,200 milligrams per day is recommended. |
| Image: Pregnant woman + Rise in blood pressure (upward arrow while editing)
Image: Swollen hands and feet |
Let us now discuss about the effects of calcium deficiency.
Deficiency of calcium during pregnancy can result in a rise in blood pressure. Swelling in hands and feet can be seen. |
| Image: Premature and low birth weight baby (downward arrow while editing)
Image: Impaired cognitive and physical development |
Inadequate calcium intake by mothers may affect the baby also.
Their birth weight may be low and their growth can be retarded. Their physical and cognitive development can be damaged. |
| Image: Symptoms of rickets collage
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In children, calcium deficiency can cause rickets.
Rickets is a disorder of the skeletal system. The growth gets stunted and there are changes in the shape of the spine. Other signs are sunken ribs, protruding forehead and bow shaped bent legs. Short height, widening of the wrist, elbow, knee and ankle joints can be seen. |
| Image: Cramps
Image: Numbness in fingers (highlighted fingers while editing) Image: Mental confusion / irritation Image: Dry skin and brittle nails Image: Tooth decay |
In adults, early signs of calcium deficiency are muscle cramps.
Numbness or tingling sensation of fingers is also seen. Mental confusion, irritability, dry skin, brittle nails and tooth decay can also occur. |
| Image: Reduction in bone density
Image: Osteoporosis Image: Decrease in bone density Image: Fractures Image: Stoop posture Image: Back pain |
Long term deficiency of calcium can result in osteoporosis.
The bones become fragile and prone to fractures. Other symptoms are stooped posture, loss of height and back pain. |
| Image: Woman green tick mark, Man red mark
Image: Decrease in estrogen levels in women after menopause GIF: Decreased Calcium absorption (slow speed of gif while editing) Image: Increased Calcium excretion |
The risk of osteoporosis is higher in women as compared to men.
This is because estrogen levels in women decrease after menopause. Thereby, calcium absorption decreases and its excretion through urine increases. |
| Image: Collage of calcium rich food | To avoid calcium deficiency, adequate intake of calcium rich food is essential. |
| Image: Collage of daily products
GIF: Increased Calcium absorption |
The best sources are milk and milk products.
This includes curd, paneer (unsalted indian cheese), cheese and khoa (thickened whole milk). Calcium obtained from them gets easily absorbed in our body. 200 millilitre of cow’s milk provides 236 milligrams ofcalcium 100 grams of curd from cow’s milk has 150 milligramscalcium. 30 grams of paneer from cow’s milk has 142 milligramscalcium. |
| Image: Collage of shrimp, bombay duck, prawns, lobsters, dried bony fish | Few non-vegetarian food are also rich in calcium.
For example: dried shrimp, bombay duck, prawns, lobsters and dried bony fishes. 100 grams of prawns will give 67 milligrams ofcalcium. 20 grams of dried shrimp has 73 milligrams of calcium. 15 grams of dried bombay duck fish has 208 milligrams of calcium.
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| Image: Collage of nuts and seeds
Image: Collage of soybean, horse gram, moth beans |
Seeds are an excellent source of calcium.
For example: sesame seeds, niger seeds, flax seeds, dill seeds, poppy seeds. 1 tablespoon or 5g of sesame seeds has about 64 milligrams of calcium. Apart from these, nuts like almonds and walnuts are also rich in calcium. |
| Image: Collage of green leafy vegetables
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Many green leafy vegetables have a good amount of calcium.
For example: leaves of amaranth, agathi, drumstick and fenugreek. Even radish leaves, colocasia leaves and mustard leaves are good sources. 100 grams of amaranth leaves gives 330 milligrams of calcium. 100 grams of fenugreek leaves gives 274 milligrams of calcium. |
| Image: Collage of beans
Image: Finger millet |
Calcium is present in some beans like soybean, horse gram and moth beans.
50 grams of horse gram gives 135 milligrams of calcium. Finger millet is also a rich source of calcium. 30 grams of finger millet provides 110 milligrams of calcium. |
| GIF: Calcium absorption
Image: Collage of nuts, seeds, beans and leafy vegetables GIF:Inhibition of Calcium absorption due to oxalates, phytates and fiber |
Along with food intake, calcium absorption is equally important.
Presence of oxalates, phytates and fiber affect calcium absorption. They are present in nuts, seeds, beans, and green leafy vegetables. These substances may bind with calcium to form an insoluble complex. As a result, calcium absorption in the body is inhibited. |
| Image: Collage of different cooking techniques | The absorption can be enhanced by using various cooking techniques.
For example: soaking, sprouting, boiling, roasting and fermentation. |
| Image: Collage of coffee, tea, cola
Image: Increased Calcium excretion from the body |
For calcium absorption, avoid tea, coffee and cola with calcium rich food.
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| Image: Different nutrients symbols and sources
Image: vitamin D symbol Image: Exposure to sunlight GIF: clock showing 11 a.m to 3p.m |
For maximum calcium absorption, few other nutrients are required.
For example: vitamin D, magnesium, potassium and phosphorus. Among which, vitamin D plays the most important role. It helps in the absorption of calcium in the intestine. Vitamin D can be obtained from exposure to midday sunlight from 11 a.m to 3 p.m. |
| Collage:
Image: Egg yolk Image: Chicken liver Image: Collage of sardines, herring, cod, and salmon. Image: Collage of curry leaves, sesame seeds, mushrooms, soyabean, finger millet. |
Non-vegetarian sources of vitamin D are egg yolk, chicken liver and some fish.
Some vegetarian food also have adequate vitamin D. For example: mushrooms, soyabean, finger millet, curry leaves, sesame seeds. |
| Image: Children Playing and doing exercise
Image: Muscle strength and bone mass
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Apart from nutrients, adequate physical activity and exercise are also required.
This will enhance the bone mass and bone strength. |
| Image: Individuals of different age group
Image: Infancy and childhood (increased arrow while editing) Image: Adulthood, Old age |
In addition to all this, age also influences calcium absorption.
It is highest during infancy and childhood. During adulthood, absorption is moderate and then it decreases with age. |
| Image: Infancy, childhood and adolescence | Therefore, adequate intake of calcium rich food from an early age is essential. |
| Acknowledgement Slide | This brings us to the end of the tutorial.
Thank you for joining. |
