Patterns of Nuclear Stability (Section)Each of the

Minerals Major Minerals Calcium  Involved with formation of bones and teeth  Dairy products are a good dietary source of calcium—ideally a food that contains calcium that the body can absorb well  Calcitriol: binds to calcium to increase absorption when blood levels are low  Food sources: dairy, sardines, fortified foods o 8 oz milk o 1 cup yogurt o 1.5 oz cheddar cheese o 1.5 cups cooked kale o 2 ¼ cups cooked broccoli o 8 cups cooked spinach  300 mg (30% of daily value)  1,000g in body—most out of all minerals  Binders of calcium (chelators) o In vegetables, oxalates bind to calcium o Grains, legumes contain phytates o Consuming coffee/tea can slightly block calcium binding  Can get calcium from all 5 food groups  Common supplement forms (consider elemental amount) o Calcium carbonate (40%)  Requires good stomach acid  Take with acidic food  Least expensive o Calcium citrate (21%)  Low stomach acid  With/without food  May protect kidney stones  More expensive  Higher doses required compared to calcium carbonate o Calcium lactate (13%)  Good absorption o Calcium gluconate (9%)  Good absorption  Expensive  Best absorbed in doses of <500 mg at a time o Children: RDA 1300mg / UL 3