title: Calcium in evolutionary perspective.
abstract: The nutritional requirements of contemporary humans were almost certainly established over eons of evolutionary experience and the best available evidence indicates that this evolution occurred in a high-calcium nutritional environment. The exercise and dietary patterns of humans living at the end of the Stone Age can be considered natural paradigms: calcium intake was twice that for contemporary humans and requirements for physical exertion were also greater than at present. Bony remains from that period suggest that Stone Agers developed a greater peak bone mass and experienced less age-related bone loss than do humans in the 20th Century.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, West Paces Ferry Hospital, Atlanta.
authors.forename: S B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000383:Agriculture; D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D001827:Body Height; D001846:Bone Development; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage; D015186:Hominidae / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008322:Mammals / Q000378:metabolism; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D005082:Physical Exertion
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D002118:Calcium