How much calcium is too little?

[serling78]

Wondering how much calcium is the minimum I can get away with without doing myself harm. Firstly, I'm lactose intolerant so I have no dairy other than lactose free milk. Even with that I feel some stomach discomfort and anecdotally lowered libido (I've read lactic acid is bad for libido but don't know if that's true). I used to drink a couple cups a day but now I have less than a cup, just enough to go into my morning shake.

Beyond milk I have tried calcium supplements along with other sources like stinging nettle tea. Any of those things cause me horrible constipation. And it's not just the brand/form when it come to supplements. I tried a wide variety.

So basically I have a bad relationship with calcium, but I know my body needs it. I'm not sure what to do next.

 

[DrJ]

How is your vitamin D level?

 

[Mike wolff]

How is your vitamin D level?

My Vitamin D is 30 and I also don’t eat or drink Dairy as am lactose intolerant

 

[Sila]

2 TBSP of blackstrap molasses

 

[Cloudhands]

I think adequate vitamin D, vitamin K, and magnesium are required for calcium pathways to function properly and prevent constipation. How much calcium you need is relavent to phosphorus, but id say minimum 1500 mg a day, with phos on the low side, but idk how youd do that and get enough protein. Have u tried a2 dairy?

 

[serling78]

Giving the blackstrap molasses a try first since I happen to have some. Haven't heard of a2 dairy. I'll look into it.

 

[DrJ]

My Vitamin D is 30 and I also don’t eat or drink Dairy as am lactose intolerant

That's pretty low. If you want to get along on less calcium for whatever reason then increase your vitamin D.

 

[Doc Sandoz]

2 TBSP of blackstrap molasses

View attachment 22003

Granny used to give it back in the day for iron deficiency. Most of us get too much iron nowadays as it is, acc'd to Ray.

 

[tregeis]

~750 mg/day

Calcium requirements: new estimations for men and women by cross-sectional statistical analyses of calcium balance data from metabolic studies - PubMed

The findings suggest that the calcium requirement for men and women is lower than previously estimated.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[GelatinGoblin]

2 TBSP of blackstrap molasses

View attachment 22003

Umm... WTF
Mirin' that Calcium, Magnesium and Potassium