Calcium Balance
Calcium Balance in a Healthy Body C alcium is the most abundant mineral in the body. In a healthy person, each Kg of body weight includes about 22 gms of calcium. 99% of this calcium is in the bones. Normal diet contains about 1000 mg of calcium in a day. About 400 mg is absorbed from the intestines. Intestines secrete about 150 mg and thus 750 mg is passed in stools. About 9000 mg of calcium is filtered from the kidney. 8750 mg is reabsorbed and 250 mg is passed in the urine. Approximately 800 mg of bone calcium moves into the extracellular space (intestinal secretions, blood, fluid in the space outside blood vessels, lymph etc) and similar amount moves back into bones. Calcium Requirements Requirements in health change with age. Requirements in children are Birth to 1 yr about 200- 250 mg, 1 to 3 yrs about 700mg, 4 to 8 yrs 1000 mg and during puberty 1300mg. In adults upto 50 yrs of age about 1000 mg is sufficient. Man older than 70 yrs and pregnan