Lack of calcium and B12 deficiency
Hi,
below are some (of many) sources that suggest that too little calcium can affect your vitamin B12 levels. According to "Vegans deficient in three nutrients - meat eaters in seven" and other sources, calcium is one of the most important nutrients vegans should pay attention to. (It's not difficult to get enough calcium, but you need to know where to find it).
Vegans are known to have lower B12 levels than non-vegans, and to me, it doesn't look like there is one cause for the low B-12 levels among vegans, but many. Could lack of calcium be a more important part of the vegan/B12 issue than most people think?
From http://www.livingwithms.co.uk/ms/nutrit.html :
"B12 needs to be combined with Calcium for proper absorption"
From http://foodsupplements.homestead.com/B12.html :
" B-12 METHYLCOBALAMIN 1000 mcg 1 or 2 a day. Methylcobalamin is the preferred type. Cyanocobalamin must be converted to methyl or adenosyl cobalamin by the body. Required for fat and carbohydrate metabolism and formation of blood cells . Deficiency results in mental confusion ,anemia , homocystenia, brain damage, tinnitus ,asthma , and depression . B-12 deficiency leads to heart risk. ( Science News 2-16-02 ) May benefit multiple sclerosis patients. Deficiency is widespread in people over sixty years of age. Blood test to determine B-12 level is recommended. Alcohol, estrogen, oral contraceptives, sleeping pills interfere with utilization. Natural sources are liver, beef, pork, eggs, milk, and cheese , except where soil is deficient in cobalt . ( 19 ) Needs calcium for absorption. Microwave cooking destroys B-12."
From http://www.chinatown-online.com/cons.../nutrition.htm
"B12 Depleting Factors: Alcohol, coffee, tobacco, calcium deficiency."
From http://www.noni-juice-distributor.us...t_glossary.htm :
"Calcium (as calcium phosphate): the bodyês most abundant mineral. Every cell needs calcium to survive. Calcium is necessary for body synthesis of B12 and uses vitamin D for absorption. It works with phosphorus to build sound teeth and bones, with magnesium for cardiovascular health and skeletal strength. It helps blood clotting, lowers blood pressure, prevents muscle cramping, maintains nervous system health, controls anxiety and depression, and insures quality rest and sleep."
From http://www.leaflady.org/cancer.htm
About B12: "Utilization assisted by calcium. [...] More effective when taken with B complex and Vitamin C, Lecithin, Potassium, Calcium, and Sodium."
From http://www.unhinderedliving.com/VitaminB12.html
"When taking B12, it is a good idea to also supplement with calcium at the same meal, as calcium assists with absorption. There must also be hydrochloric acid present. A properly functioning thyroid gland also helps with absorption of B12"
Finally, about calcium and tap water: (From http://www.pharo.com/health_and_heal...0_contents.asp )
"Despite assurances from water companies, tap water is full of potentially dangerous chemicals - even, in some areas of Britain, including the highly controversial fluoride, and also probably residues from the contraceptive pill. Heavy metals in the water are believed to prevent the absorption of calcium. Natural water is high in calcium, necessary for strong teeth and bones, although the fizzy sort is also high in sodium (salt), so don't drink it often."
what is calcium carrageenan?
I know it's a thickener in pudding but is it an animal biproduct?
Excessive Calcium Causes Osteoporosis
Must read
www.4.waisays.com
How Milk Causes Osteoporosis
calcium carbonate and other ingredients
i was searching for something bready this morning, and cheerios seemed vegan friendly....but what about the ingredient "calcium carbonate"? is this an animal product? (i hope not cause i'm currently snacking on them) thanks if u know.
Also. a while back someone posted a really comprehensive site about ingredients that u may not expect to be animal based. does anyone remember it?
Re: calcium in mineral water
I've found this in:
Journal of the American Dietetic Association. [J Am Diet Assoc] 2002 Nov; Vol. 102 (11), pp. 1658-62.
OBJECTIVE: To assess the contribution of mineral water containing different amounts of calcium and magnesium to the total dietary intakes of these minerals DESIGN: Matched case control study using data issued from the Supplementation en Vitamines et Minéraux Antioxydants (SU.VI.MAX) cohort. SUBJECTS: Subjects were water consumers-240 men and 424 women-divided into the following 4 groups (n=166 per group): regular drinkers of a calcium-rich and magnesium-rich mineral water (calcium, 486 mg/L; magnesium, 84 mg/ L), drinkers of a water classified as a moderately mineralized content (calcium, 202 mg/L; magnesium, 36 mg/L), drinkers of 2 low-mineralized waters (calcium, 9.9 to 67.6 mg/L and magnesium, 1.6 to 2 mg/L, respectively), and drinkers of tap waters. STATISTICAL ANALYSES: Quantitative data were compared using student's t test. Mean comparisons were performed in multivariate analysis by analysis of variance. RESULTS: Dietary calcium intake provided by the various food groups did not differ between the 4 consumer groups, except for calcium provided by mineral water. According to its calcium concentration, mineral water may contribute to one fourth of the total daily calcium intake. Subjects who regularly drink mineral-rich water have a calcium intake that is significantly higher (P< 10(-3)) than those drinking either low-mineral-content water or tap water. Dietary magnesium intake provided by the various food groups did not differ between the 4 consumer groups, except for magnesium provided by mineral water. Depending on the magnesium concentration of the mineral water, it contributed 6% to 17% of total daily magnesium intake. Drinkers of magnesium-rich mineral water and water with a moderate mineral content had magnesium intakes significantly (P< 10(-3)) higher than those of drinkers on low-mineralized or tap water. APPLICATIONS: Mineral-rich water may provide an important supplementary contribution to total calcium and magnesium intake. For dietetics professionals, it may provide-in place of the usual recommendations concerning the consumption of dairy products-a good way to improve calcium and magnesium intakes, particularly in subjects who don't like dairy products.
Re: calcium in mineral water
Another one:
The British journal of nutrition. [Br J Nutr] 2005 Feb; Vol. 93 (2), pp. 225-31
It is well known that the intestinal availability of Ca from Ca-rich mineral waters is equivalent to that of milk Ca. However, the effect of associated anions on Ca urinary loss needs to be addressed. The aim of the current study was to compare, under ordinary conditions of consumption, milk and a SO4-rich mineral water as the Ca provider in a large number of subjects consuming the same quantity of Ca from the two sources in a crossover study lasting for an extended period. Thirty-seven healthy women completed a 12-week protocol, divided into four periods of 3 weeks (W). In the first (W1-3) and third (W6-9) periods, dietary Ca intake was restricted to 600 mg/d. In the second (W4-6) and final (W10-12) periods, either 400 ml/d medium-fat milk or 1 litre of a Ca- and SO4-rich mineral water, each providing about 480 mg Ca/d, was added to the diet in a random manner. Dietary evaluation, blood and urinary measures were performed during the last week (W6 and W12) of each Ca supplementation period. The urinary excretion of Ca was higher (0.5 mmol/d more) with water than with milk (P<0.001). An examination of all the dietary factors known to influence calciuria suggested that the acidogenic action of SO4 was responsible for this increased calciuria. Thus, despite an equal Ca intake and assuming an unchanged intestinal absorption, these results suggest that Ca balance is better with milk consumption than with CaSO4-rich water.
Re: calcium in mineral water
Journal of clinical gastroenterology. [J Clin Gastroenterol] 2004 Oct; Vol. 38 (9), pp. 761-6.
GOALS: The study was designed to determine whether high-calcium mineral water is an efficient additional source of dietary calcium, optimizing a method for calcium determination never used for mineral waters. BACKGROUND: It is generally agreed that an adequate calcium intake is necessary for the acquisition of an ideal peak bone mass and for the maintenance of the bone mineral density in adults, in postmenopausal women, and in the elderly. Mineral waters are calorie free, and some, with high calcium levels, might be significant sources of calcium. STUDY: The availability of the calcium contained in a high-calcium mineral water was measured in 27 healthy subjects. In 8 subjects the calcium availability of the water was compared with the calcium availability ingested with milk at the same calcium load. Milk and water were labeled extrinsically with 30 mg Ca. Fractional absorption from the oral dose was determined from plasma samples using ICP-MS technique. RESULTS: At an ingested calcium load of 3.18 mmol, percentage of absorption for water averaged 22.53 +/- 2.53 (mean +/- SD) for men, 22.57 +/- 2.10 (mean +/- SD) for premenopausal women and 21.62 +/- 3.12 (mean +/- SD) for postmenopausal women. Percentage absorption from milk was 23.15 +/- 4.06 (mean +/- SD). DISCUSSION: The calcium from the mineral water is thus highly bioavailable, at least as bioavailable as milk calcium, and ICP-MS appears to represent a reliable and reproducible method for calcium absorption from alimentary sources.
Re: calcium in mineral water
Journal of bone and mineral metabolism. [J Bone Miner Metab] 2003; Vol. 21 (1), pp. 28-33.
For people in Western countries, the vegan diet has the advantage of low energy intake, but the calcium status of this strictly plant-based diet is still unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the calcium balance of individuals on a vegan diet in comparison with a lactovegetarian diet in a short-term investigation. Seven women and one man, ranging in age from 19 to 24 years, received during the first 10 days a vegan diet based on plant foods and calcium-rich mineral water and a lactovegetarian diet during the following 10 days. Portion size was adapted to the subjects' individual energy requirements. Calcium status was assessed by means of calcium intake in food and calcium output in feces and urine as measured by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry. In addition, deoxypyridinoline was measured in urine as a marker of bone resorption. The results show a significantly smaller daily calcium intake with an average of 843 +/- 140 mg in the vegan versus 1322 +/- 303 mg in the lactovegetarian diet. Apparent calcium absorption rates were calculated as 26% +/- 15% in the vegan and 24% +/- 8% in the lactovegetarian group (NS). The calcium balance was positive both in the vegan diet (119 +/- 113 mg/day) and in the lactovegetarian diet (211 +/- 136 mg/day) (NS). Deoxypyridinoline excretion showed no significant difference between the two diets (105 +/- 31 and 98 +/- 23 nmol/day). The present results indicate that calcium balance and a marker of bone turnover are not affected significantly when calcium is provided either solely by plant foods or by a diet including dairy products, despite the significantly different calcium intake levels in the diets. We conclude that a well-selected vegan diet maintains calcium status, at least for a short-term period.