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Bodybuilders eat fairly well. In fact, they eat very well.
A study published in the Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical
Fitness (29:63-70; 2004) reported that “all of the bodybuilders’
vitamin/mineral intakes exceeded the RDAs with the exception
of one nutrient.” If you guessed that nutrient was calcium,
you’re right. The men only met 54 percent of their USRDA
for calcium, and the women, only 60 percent. Another study,
this one published in the Journal of the American Dietetic
Association (90:962-967; 2004) reported that women “had
remarkably deficient calcium intake, despite an adequate energy
intake.”
Why do bodybuilders come up short on calcium? Primarily because
they associate dairy products with fat. Since fat equals a
smooth physique, they avoid dairy products, and the result
is a dietary deficiency of calcium.
Should you be concerned about that? Probably. Among calcium’s
many functions (which also include building and maintaining
bones and teeth, promoting nerve-impulse transmission, helping
blood clot and regulating blood pressure) is its ability to
aid in muscle contraction.
According to the textbook Nutrition in Health and Disease,
“Calcium has a vital role in the contraction and relaxation
of muscle. Its entrance into the muscle cell as a result of
nerve stimulation sets in motion the biochemical processes
which cause the proteins myosin and actin to be drawn together,
thus contracting the muscle cells by making them shorter and
thicker.” Such a contribution makes this nutrient more
than just a little important to the bodybuilder.
The USRDA for calcium is 800 milligrams for men and women,
although recently, some experts have begun advising 1,200
to 1,500 milligrams for woman in an effort to prevent osteoporosis.
The easiest way to meet calcium needs is to include dairy
products in the diet. Now, all dairy products come in fat-free
form. Most people are familiar with nonfat milk, but yogurt,
cottage cheese, sliced cheeses, cream cheese and sour cream
are all available fat-free as well. While such products have
a lot fewer calories without the fat, the calcium content
stays the same. Eight ounces of nonfat milk supplies 300 milligrams
of calcium, the same as eight ounces of regular, whole milk.
Eight ounces of nonfat yogurt and one ounce of nonfat cheese
also supply 300 milligrams of calcium each. That’s close
to half your daily requirement. A half cup of nonfat sour
cream supplies 120 milligrams of calcium with minimal calories,
and two tablespoons of nonfat cream cheese supplies 25 milligrams.
Of course, other milk-based foods, such as cream soups, custards,
ice cream, whipped cream and half-and-half, contain considerable
amounts of calcium as well, but they also have considerable
amounts of fat and calories, which would be detrimental to
a muscle builder’s goals.
As easy as it is to reach the requirement for calcium by eating
dairy products, some people won’t use them at all, nonfat
or not. They believe that pasteurization destroys all the
nutrients or that antibiotics and chemicals are passed from
the animal to the milk. Regardless of these concerns or whether
they’re justified, the body needs calcium.
Some people have a problem because their bodies simply cannot
tolerate dairy products. They suffer from lactose intolerance,
which means their bodies cannot break down the milk sugar,
or lactose, because they have inadequate levels of the enzyme
lactase. If lactose isn’t broken down by lactase in
the small intestine, it travels farther down the intestine,
where it doesn’t belong, reacting with the bacteria
and causing gas, cramping and diarrhea. For most folks who
suffer from lactose intolerance, there’s a simple solution.
You can take lactase tablets before eating dairy products.
Another method is to add lactase drops to liquid milk, mix
well and let it react overnight, and it will break down the
lactose for you so your body can handle it.
If you can’t or won’t use dairy products but wish
to meet your daily calcium needs, there are nondairy sources
of calcium, including broccoli (90 milligrams per half cup),
spinach (120 milligrams per half cup), kale (50 milligrams
per half cup), turnip greens (100 milligrams per half cup)
and tofu (130 milligrams per half cup, raw). Salmon and sardines
supply calcium if you eat the bones. The vegetables listed
above not only provide calcium, but they’re rich in
other nutrients, too, with very few calories.
Supplementation is another option. Unfortunately, you won’t
find much calcium in a multiple vitamin. For instance, Centrum,
which is a good, complete multiple-vitamin and -mineral supplement,
contains only 162 milligrams of calcium per tablet, which
is not even 20 percent of the USRDA. Finding a multi-vitamin that has more calcium crammed into it means you’re going
to be looking at a tablet that even a python would have a
hard time swallowing. Your best bet is to use an additional
calcium supplement.
How do you select a good one? Calcium needs vitamin D to help
your body absorb it. If you’re taking a daily multivitamin,
you’re already getting all the vitamin D you need-most
contain 100 percent of the USRDA and can select a supplement
that is straight calcium. If you aren’t taking a multivitamin,
you need a supplement that contains calcium plus vitamin D.
As to the best type of calcium, calcium carbonate is the form
of choice. It contains 40 percent calcium by weight, which
is more than the other forms, such as calcium lactate or calcium
gluconate, and is the least expensive. Take it on an empty
stomach with eight ounces of liquid for best absorption. If
it upsets your stomach, take it with a meal and you should
be able to tolerate it. Read the label for the amount of calcium
per tablet and set your dose according to the amount you’re
already getting from your diet.
Turn your eating habits from great to even greater by getting
more of the one nutrient bodybuilders don’t get enough
of, calcium.
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