The following post is duplicated and being shared from Cave Girl Eats. The perspective is shared from a " Paleo Diet" point of view.
Many of us have been there. Those who choose to limit dairy as part of their Paleo-style eating plan are asked by terribly concerned family and friends:
“No milk?! But how will you get CALCIUM?”
Whether you’re concerned about calcium intake or things like osteoporosis, realize that it’s not about quantity anyway. It’s about giving your body the tools to use calcium efficiently and properly. I do this by getting the co-factors that MAINTAIN quality bone. Co-factors are everything from balanced blood sugar to other vitamins and minerals, fatty acids, and even exercise.
We’re incredibly bone-centric when it comes to this issue – understandably so, since 99% of our calcium is stored in our skeletal system. Your entire body uses calcium, however, and that storage system is important – it allows the body to recruit the calcium it needs, when it needs it. We’ve got a built-in system of bone remodeling that keeps those bones strong as they give-and-take calcium over time.
The truth is, it’s not about how much calcium we take in. It’s about balancing bodily systems with Real Food so that the body can maintain homeostasis, optimize nutrient absorption and utilization, and – of course – maintain excellent bone health.
With that…
The Calcium Answer
The TRUE STORY about Calcium…
The most important thing to understand is this: the way your body uses calcium – including how your bones maintain density and quality – is entirely dependent on co-factors.
Here’s a rundown:
Co-Factor 1: Hormonal & Blood Sugar Balance.
The body obsessively regulates both blood pH and blood sugar balance. These are both modulated by hormones.
Buffering blood pH involves the alkalinizing properties of calcium. The parathyroid gland releases parathyroid hormone, which initiates osteoclastic activity – releasing calcium from the bones - which buffers blood pH. Calcitonin (released from the thyroid) counter-balances this process by inhibiting osteoclastic activity. Estrogen and progesterone “check-and-balance” one another in calcium utilization as well.
(Another problem in modern life? Xenoestrogens. Estrogen-mimicking substances like soy and plastics can skew this balance.)
The body prioritizes blood sugar balance so highly because it profoundly affects your hormonal balance and signaling. If your blood sugar is out of control, nothing else will fall into place – including calcium balance. Elevated blood sugar, stress, and resulting cortisol dysregulation and adrenal stress (also hormonal) increases calcium mobilization from the bones – as in, they reduce bone density.
The hormone-deploying parathyroid gland also signals the body to produce specific binding proteins for the minerals it needs – for example, calcium. (Yet another signaling loop that’s inhibited by a bad diet.)
A good way to prove that the modern governmental dietary recommendations are a breeding ground for dysregulated blood sugar – and therefore dysregulated hormones – is my side-by-side comparison of the glycemic load of two plans: the first, a Standard American “healthy” plan; the second, a sample “Paleo” plan. (And this plan doesn’t include bone broth – imagine how many minerals it would add!)
Co-factor 2: Hydration (Water & Electrolytes)
I won’t obsess over this, since we all know how important hydration is to health. Water, broth, and water-dense foods like whole proteins and vegetables are extremely hydrating. Soda, however, is not – it’s important to note that the orthophosphoric acid in soft drinks may cause bone breakdown, especially with high consumption over time. A balance of electrolytes is in the body is important. Himalayan or Celtic sea salt is a great addition to the diet, although adding excess refined salt to a Standard American Diet filled with packaged and processed foods is not recommended. (6)
Co-factor 3: Don’t Take Counterproductive Drugs.
I’m not talking about the fun kind of drugs (although you should probably toss those as well). Big Pharma has created some truly gnarly “solutions” to osteoporosis ( like Boniva). These drugs literally inhibit osteoclastic activity. This means they keep bones from breaking down – and stop the natural, necessary and constant process of bone remodeling. OsteoBLASTIC activity without osteoCLASTIC activity means bones become more dense, but NOT stronger. In fact, Dr. Mercola calls these drugs “poison.” Sorry Sally.
Co-Factor 4: Digestion.
The body must have adequate HCL (stomach acid) to absorb calcium. Modern acid blockers like Nexium and Prilosec literally stop the production of stomach acid, and because of this, nutrients can’t be absorbed properly. This wreaks havoc across all bodily systems, because they all require adequate nutrients to function properly. (In fact, you want MORE stomach acid, not less!)
Additionally, dietary factors – like the consumption of gluten and grains – can interfere with nutrient absorption in the gut. (See this post - USDA: Proud Sponsors of Nutrient Deficiency.) Specifically, the phytic acid in grains and beans can bind to minerals like calcium, magnesium and zinc, rendering them indigestible. (6) This becomes a marked problem in a Standard American Diet, which is dangerously rich in these “mineral binders.”
Co-factor 5: Other Minerals & Vitamins
Your ability to absorb and utilize minerals is absolutely mediated by the components of the foods you eat (see my USDA post for more on this).
Adequate intake of magnesium and vitamin D are the co-factors you’ll hear about most often. But it’s not about hammering your body with one at the exclusion of another. Calcium, Magnesium and Vitamin D are not the Three Musketeers. They’re more like the Executive, the Legislative, and the Judiciary: they’re not always friends, but they keep one another in check. They even inhibit one another – but only when necessary.
Vitamin D works with parathyroid hormone to increase blood calcium. It also regulates the depositing of calcium in the proper areas to protect the body from improper calcification (like arterial calcification – also known as clogged arteries). If the body isn’t pulling adequate calcium from the diet, it’ll come from the bone faster than the body can replace it.
Magnesium is involved in calcium transport, but it will also block calcium pathways as needed – acting as a counter (a “relaxer”) to calcium’s properties of contraction. Magnesium also helps convert vitamin D to its active form, which allows for calcium absorption. (1)
I write at length about the extremely important, often deficient VItamin K2 in my post “Why You Need Vitamin K2.” Check it out – Vitamin K2 is active in everything from bone synthesis and formation to fertility and skin health. You can supplement with it, you can choose grass-fed, full-fat dairy products like butter and ghee, or you can buy the ancestral food High-Vitamin Cod Liver Oil/Butter Oil Blend, which provides vitamins A, D and K2 in proper proportion. While most “Paleo” folk don’t do dairy, this post may shed some light on why certain types of dairy may be good to go.
Other minerals are critical as well. Calcium must also be in-balance with potassium and trace elements like boron, copper and zinc. (3)
This balance is critical, and nearly impossible to achieve definitively using supplements and a Standard American diet. Step back, eat well, and let your body fall into balance based on its innate ability to prioritize and utilize the nutrients from Real Food (and Sunlight – vitamin D is created through the sun’s action on the skin).
Co-Factor 6: Fatty Acids
Fatty Acids are responsible for the transport of calcium across cell membranes. Polyunsaturates decrease the stability of the cell membrane, and saturated fats strengthen it. That’s why both – in natural form – are critical to homeostasis. Natural polyunsaturates are found in abundance in oily fish, and saturated fats are found in coconut oil and ghee. Lard and tallow are great sources as well.
Additionally, fats and cholesterol are critical in the creation and synthesis of hormones (discussed above), although not all Fatty Acids are created equal. A study from Purdue University indicated that high levels of free radicals from linoleic acid (an Omega-6 fatty acid found in excess in the Standard American Diet because it’s found principally in unhealthy, highly processed fats like corn and soy oils), interfered with bone-building. (2)
Co-Factor 7: Exercise.
So there you have it: The Calcium Rundown. Processed foods and the Standard American Diet are NOT high in these co-factors.