Good evening,

I would like to consult with you regarding the calcium deficiency in my diet. I know that in lessons you often mention that if one adheres to the principle of diversity, there shouldn't be a problem meeting the daily calcium intake requirement, and that often people suffer more from a magnesium deficiency. I don't know where I am making a mistake, but in most of the ZOF assignments, I face the issue that while I fulfill the calcium intake more or less, the magnesium percentage is significantly higher, and thus the ratio is not optimal. This is the case despite my efforts to organize foods according to their content (I also often try to monitor ratios).

Outside of assignments, I am, of course, also concerned about integrating this into my everyday life because it seems that my diet follows a similar pattern, so I would need to increase certain foods to boost calcium, even though, for example, one serving of dairy products is considered optimal? (Of course, it's not just about them, but it seems to me that it's also not advisable to intentionally eat a portion of poppy seeds every day). I am also asking mainly because I am doing strength training, so I should have my calcium at higher levels than average.

Of course, I believe that it can be managed without supplementation, but I feel that the composition of my meal plans follows the general recommendations from the lessons, and I would perceive any major interventions and significant changes as forced.

Could you please share some applicable recommendations, or do you consider calcium supplementation as an optimal course in this case?

Thank you in advance for your reply.

Magnesium levels in your tasks are higher because I encourage you to work with natural (non-ultra-processed) foods while also dictating the number of representatives from different food categories. The result is the exact opposite situation to what you would face in practice. Additionally, take into account that the key source of calcium in the diet, with very high biological availability, is dairy products. On the other hand, wholegrain products are a source of magnesium, whose bioavailability is significantly reduced by the presence of antinutritional substances (fiber, phytates, etc.), making it theoretically advantageous to have a slightly higher presence of this element.

If you feel that in real life you are experiencing a calcium deficiency, it is first important to ask whether this is a fact or merely a perception. The actual requirement for calcium is not as high as broadly established rules suggest, and it makes sense to focus primarily on how much of this element actually enters the circulation in the body (i.e., it's not so much about how much you consume but how much is absorbed and subsequently utilized). Numerous factors are involved in this process - physical activity, the diversity of gut microbiota, stress factors, health status (functionality of the digestive tract), the amount of antinutritional substances, vitamin D3 content, hormonal regulation, protein content in the diet... therefore, address these challenges as well, not just the absolute proportion of one element; it will pay off for you in the long run.

Themes:  Supplementation   Calcium   Magnesium