Why Calcium is Necessary for Your Muscles

Why Calcium is Necessary for Your Muscles

The purpose of calcium in your body is for more than just bone health. Calcium plays an important function in muscle contractions. A muscle contraction develops whenever small slender strands in the muscle fibers stick to each other and slide, causing your muscle tissues to become shorter. Calcium makes it possible for this attachment. Without calcium, your muscles will not be able to perform correctly.

Signs of Muscle Cramps

A muscle cramp might start out as some sort of hardness in your muscle. It could then develop to soreness and an uncontrollable action as the muscles bunch up together. A muscle cramp, or Charley horse as they are commonly referred to, is not unusual. Muscle cramps can occur whether you are working out or sleeping.

Causes of Muscle Cramps

The key reason for a muscle cramp is said to be due to a vitamin or mineral deficiency, most often a lack of calcium. A calcium deficiency may be a result of a number of things like not enough calcium intake from food.
Suggested calcium intake for adults younger than fifty is around 1,000mg per day and for adults older than fifty 1,200mg per day should be taken. Extended use of a muscle from a physical activity can be another trigger. Continuous exercise without enough food can use up important nutrients in your body, which includes calcium.

Calcium and Muscle ContractionsSince calcium has such an important part in a muscle contraction, it makes sense that a deficiency of calcium can lead to muscle fatigue, which can result in muscle cramps. Whenever your brain signals a muscle contraction, the stored calcium within your muscle cells is released as a way to help the small filaments inside your muscle tissues and to prevent cramping.
Once the contraction has ended and calcium is not needed anymore, it returns to where it was stored. If there is a disturbance when the calcium is on its way back to the storage locations, you may suffer from an extended muscle contraction which results in a cramp.

Treatment for Muscle Cramps

If you have problems with cramping pains frequently, think about upping your dietary consumption of calcium. By carefully keeping track of your calcium intake and by using supplements, as needed, you can help to minimize muscle cramps.If you notice your muscle starting to cramp, you should stop your exercise or sport and quickly stretch the muscle that is cramping. Apply ice, put on a heating pad, or massage the affected muscle in order to help relieve the pain.
Make sure you stay hydrated since muscle cramps are often a sign of dehydration. If you suffer from muscle cramps often, be sure to contact a medical professional as soon as possible.

Muscle Cramps and Water

Water is just as important as calcium for preventing muscle cramps. Dehydrated muscles are extremely susceptible to cramping. Besides resulting in the muscles becoming a lot more prone to cramping pains, dehydration has a massive impact on overall performance, and virtually every other function of your body. The majority of athletes do not consume enough water. In fact, most people generally don’t consume the right amount of water.

Other Vitamins and Minerals Necessary

As talked about previously, muscle cramps usually develop as a result of a deficiency of minerals and vitamins in your body. Calcium, vitamin B12, potassium, magnesium, vitamin E, vitamin D, and vitamin C are other important vitamins that are the good for dealing with muscle cramps and other body pains.

Before taking any supplements for the vitamins and minerals mentioned above, it is important to check with your doctor first to make sure your body gets the right amount.

CH Woods