title: Calcium nutrition and metabolism.
abstract: An adequate calcium intake throughout life is essential for maintenance of the skeleton, by far the largest body reservoir of calcium. Appropriately high calcium intake is particularly important in the first two decades, when the body calcium mass increases to near maximum. In subsequent decades, because calcium absorption is relatively modest, typically 25% or less, calcium intake must be kept near 1000 mg per day in order to minimize the possibility that the skeleton will be mined for its mineral content. The amount of calcium needed for signaling and to maintain the extracellular calcium constant is relatively small; however, skeletal turnover is enhanced in calcium deficiency, the increased turnover representing the body's attempt to preserve skeletal calcium.
authors.affiliation: Department of BioStructure and Function, The University of Connecticut Health Center, Building 26, Room 1007, 263 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT 06030-6125, USA. bronner@neuron.uchc.edu
authors.forename: Felix
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bronner
mesh_terms: D001682:Biological Availability; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000378:metabolism*; D002118:Calcium / Q000172:deficiency / Q000378:metabolism*; D002136:Calcium, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D007408:Intestinal Absorption; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D014070:Tooth / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002136:Calcium, Dietary; D002118:Calcium