Calcium anyone?

[animal-inside]

This is a rabbit hole the size of the grand canyon. I agree with what what @CoolRick has said but back to the rabbit hole for a second -

- The whole industry fucks us or cheats us on one very important thing if you are un-aware, that being what matters is "elemental" total rather than what it might say on the front of the bottle or in advertising. What's on the front may say 1200mg Calcium for example but that number is the total weight of the compound and different compounds have different levels of elemental. If the compound is Calcium Carbonate you'd need to consider that it's only 40% elemental calcium so you are really only getting 480mg. The other 720 is the carrier. In this case that might turn out to be a good thing because if we go back to the rabbit hole we find out that ...

- You can most efficiently absorb only about 500mg at a time. Absorption limits on calcium and other compounds also varies so may need to be considered. Calcium not too much but Magnesium sticks in my mind as one that does.

Personally I've never taken a calcium supplement since the very first time I stood at the top of this rabbit hole, I'd be shocked if I'm somehow not getting enough and have never had blood work indicate a problem, my bone density is top tier. The interaction between all the electrolytes and minerals seems to depend heavily on Magnesium for me, if I get that right the rest appears to balance out although I do pay attention to Pottasium, Sodium, Iron, D3,K2(MK7) and Zinc as well.

Doctors also told me the key is magnesium. I take magnesium byglcycinate nightly. It did wonders for my constant muscle twitching. I worked up the dose until my bowel movements changed and then went one capsule less than that. That's what I've read is correct way to find the dose.

I put sodium and potassium in my water. I mix about 3L jug with potassium/sodium that I make sure I get into me each day. High potassium intake can cause low calcium.. and low calcium can cause high potassium according to one article I read..

I don't pay attention to iron.

D3 is 5,000iu's a day as per doctor instruction.

I just started K2 a few months ago..

Please remember how delicate this ecosystem is and the dangerous shit that can happen to your heart and nervous system beyond tight muscles

Yup for sure... You'd think that if something is out of whack that's causing stupid tight muscles, its also likely a early warning sign for something worse down the road though.

Best blood work I ever got was pre surgery blood work.. It was so thorough... I found it last night on my app... My calcium bloods were a bit less than middle of the range..

 

[animal-inside]

Calcium supplementation scares me. Actually a lot of the supplements scare me. One serving of beef liver did more for me in how I felt than a multi vitamin ever could. I now incorporate some liver into my diet at least once a week.

Supplements are inferior to whole foods, but we all know that. Too much of a focus on macro nutrients has us missing out on a lot of nutrients. Chicken and rice type bro diets in particular.

If we want to go down the rabbit hole on this subject we can even talk about compound selection. I didn't want to intially as I felt it may detract from what I believe the real solution is, or at least what I think is the right direction to start, to @animal-inside 's problem instead of another bandaid.


While I think that's a good way to rule out what works this would be sort of ignoring that you probably need to move around in my varied ways anyways. It's sort of like prioritizing supplements over whole foods in my view.

For shoulder health I feel it's more important to focus on scapular control and strengthening the serratus muscles, than presses and bands etc. For arms and shoulders doing halos with a kettlebell is great for targeting what I mentioned earlier. Hanging, and believe it or not, chin up technique. Things like lat pull downs have us shortening our range of motion and limiting our coordination.

I eat liver each week.. Love it.. cheap and amazing for you.


I appriciate all the advice you've given me. I disagree that continuing calcium for a couple weeks instead of trying the movements first because its prioritizing supplements though. If I'm low calcium that's causing issues, then I'm low calcium. Doing movements while low calcium isn't likely going to be the fix. If I'm low calcium, then the combination of the movements and the calcium supplements would be the ticket. If I'm not low calcium, I should figure it out farily quickly, then the movements alone may very well be the answer. Hopefully that made sense, I'm not always great at wording.

You made me think of another interesting point... Is there something about supplments that is more likely to cause health issues by taking them in excess vs eating whole foods with the same ingreidents being safer? For example, I do not drink milk. Nothing against it, just not my thing. If I drink 2 glass of milk a day, I'd be consuming more calcium than the 2 pills I am taking. If my calcium levels are fine, am I more at risk of consuming too much calcium with the pills or the 2 glass of milk? Or is the risk the same? I'm sure it varies for what specific nutrient/mineral/vitamin.. I know the eskimo people up north consumed HUGE amounts of fish oil, yet they have no negative effect from it.. yet there's studies about consuming too much fish oil we buy from supplement store.

 

[CoolRick]

I eat liver each week.. Love it.. cheap and amazing for you.


I appriciate all the advice you've given me. I disagree that continuing calcium for a couple weeks instead of trying the movements first because its prioritizing supplements though. If I'm low calcium that's causing issues, then I'm low calcium. Doing movements while low calcium isn't likely going to be the fix. If I'm low calcium, then the combination of the movements and the calcium supplements would be the ticket. If I'm not low calcium, I should figure it out farily quickly, then the movements alone may very well be the answer. Hopefully that made sense, I'm not always great at wording.

You made me think of another interesting point... Is there something about supplments that is more likely to cause health issues by taking them in excess vs eating whole foods with the same ingreidents being safer? For example, I do not drink milk. Nothing against it, just not my thing. If I drink 2 glass of milk a day, I'd be consuming more calcium than the 2 pills I am taking. If my calcium levels are fine, am I more at risk of consuming too much calcium with the pills or the 2 glass of milk? Or is the risk the same? I'm sure it varies for what specific nutrient/mineral/vitamin.. I know the eskimo people up north consumed HUGE amounts of fish oil, yet they have no negative effect from it.. yet there's studies about consuming too much fish oil we buy from supplement store.

Valid take, but on balance of probabilities you're far more likely to be too stiff (like the rest of us) than deficient in calcium for which you know 100% you're too stiff/ knotted up and you don't have a way to quantify your calcium levels or connect them to the stiffness definitively yet. My perspective is sort of from the POV of risk analysis. Taking vitamins and minerals in isolation is far from ideal IMO and can even dangerous. As I mentioned earlier, calcium or other mineral supplementation scares me. I'm sure you understand.

Like @gondar1 pointed out, marketing has got us all. I've personally cut down my supplement list considerably, mostly because I'm cheap and value orientated . But if the food is giving me all I need, better and cheaper why take the supplement? Though in the past my supplement stack focused more on organ health than vitamins and minerals that we don't really get from food like nattokinase, NAC etc.

Bioavailability is key here. We're humans not lab rats in studies. Whole foods typically have everything in them to balance what we're after. For instance milk has calcium but it has vitamin K also. Nature has the right ratios, at least I think it does.

 

[gondar1]

Calcium supplementation scares me. Actually a lot of the supplements scare me.

me too

 

[animal-inside]

Valid take, but on balance of probabilities you're far more likely to be too stiff (like the rest of us) than deficient in calcium for which you know 100% you're too stiff/ knotted up and you don't have a way to quantify your calcium levels or connect them to the stiffness definitively yet. My perspective is sort of from the POV of risk analysis. Taking vitamins and minerals in isolation is far from ideal IMO and can even dangerous. As I mentioned earlier, calcium or other mineral supplementation scares me. I'm sure you understand.

I agree, its more likely stiffness.. PArt of my decision is that I've already started calcium.. I don't want to also start the movements at the same time because if I feel better, I don't know which one is working..

Like @gondar1 pointed out, marketing has got us all. I've personally cut down my supplement list considerably, mostly because I'm cheap and value orientated . But if the food is giving me all I need, better and cheaper why take the supplement? Though in the past my supplement stack focused more on organ health than vitamins and minerals that we don't really get from food like nattokinase, NAC etc.

Bioavailability is key here. We're humans not lab rats in studies. Whole foods typically have everything in them to balance what we're after. For instance milk has calcium but it has vitamin K also. Nature has the right ratios, at least I think it does.

I agree with the supplements as well.. My list is now down to things that help my blood sugar mainly, aside from some minerals.

 

[CoolRick]

I agree, its more likely stiffness.. PArt of my decision is that I've already started calcium.. I don't want to also start the movements at the same time because if I feel better, I don't know which one is working..



I agree with the supplements as well.. My list is now down to things that help my blood sugar mainly, aside from some minerals.

Totally understandable.

I do have a question though. If you want to increase your calcium, why not choose certain foods instead?

 

[animal-inside]

Totally understandable.

I do have a question though. If you want to increase your calcium, why not choose certain foods instead?

I was actually reading about foods I can add today at work. 1 oz of marble cheese would give me about 600mg of calcium. Not hard for me to add that to my diet.

As mentioned, I'd really like to learn and understand if there's differences between supplemnents vs foods in terms of how your body uses them and how the body can deal with having too much of a mineral/vitamin if its in food form vs supplment form.

I agree, getting it from foods is a much better avenue though.

 

[animal-inside]

I went to the chiropractor today for dry needling. Had my triceps and deltoids done on both sides. I feel the knots coming out already.. Usually within a couple days they start knotting up again, and then another dry needling session or two is needed. I have another session booked next week to do it again.

I totally forgot to mention to the chiro the movements/theory you mentioned that could be causing the knotting. Next week I'll ask.

 

[CoolRick]

I was actually reading about foods I can add today at work. 1 oz of marble cheese would give me about 600mg of calcium. Not hard for me to add that to my diet.

As mentioned, I'd really like to learn and understand if there's differences between supplemnents vs foods in terms of how your body uses them and how the body can deal with having too much of a mineral/vitamin if its in food form vs supplment form.

I agree, getting it from foods is a much better avenue though.

I was doing some research on this. Supplements tend to spike calcium levels vs food. I'm sure theres some more differences, most notibly the other micronutrients in the foods that help transport calcium where it should be. It seems the most important thing is vitamin K2 so that the calcium doesn't just circulate in the blood and gets transported to the bones. I vaguely remember thyroid health playing a part in the transport of calcium as well, but don't quote me on that.

The supermarket I go to has bone marrow for sale. I decided one day to get some of that, and some oxtails to make a stew. It was rich and fatty but I never felt so strong. Speaking of which I should incorporate bone marrow some more.

So yea, dairy, bone marrow, and I've even heard of people making their own calcium powder from eggshells. I suppose that would be one way to add calcium. Fish also tends to have a good amount of calcium.

 

[animal-inside]

I was doing some research on this. Supplements tend to spike calcium levels vs food. I'm sure theres some more differences, most notibly the other micronutrients in the foods that help transport calcium where it should be. It seems the most important thing is vitamin K2 so that the calcium doesn't just circulate in the blood and gets transported to the bones. I vaguely remember thyroid health playing a part in the transport of calcium as well, but don't quote me on that.

The supermarket I go to has bone marrow for sale. I decided one day to get some of that, and some oxtails to make a stew. It was rich and fatty but I never felt so strong. Speaking of which I should incorporate bone marrow some more.

So yea, dairy, bone marrow, and I've even heard of people making their own calcium powder from eggshells. I suppose that would be one way to add calcium. Fish also tends to have a good amount of calcium.

Everytime I get a deer, moose, elk etc I try to remember to save the femur and do bone marrow.. but I have yet to remember. I heard when done right its rich, but taste amazing.

I know calcium needs to go to bones, but I believe every cell in our body needs calcium as well. SO most needs to go to bones, but we need some in our blood

 

[animal-inside]

I did lots of reflection and I just can't see low calcium being the cause of my problems... It came after looking at my previous diets over the past few years. From May- Oct, I do lots of camping/fishing etc with my family. Wife packs lots of food for everyone.. lots of stuff I don't eat.. but she always packs cheese, homemade jerky/pepperoni platters.. This is what I snack on when hungry between meals or often it's what I'll eat for lunch on these trips. And I also eat lots of cottage cheese because its easy to pack in the cooler and takes no prep to eat on these trips. In general, I do eat cottage cheese often regardless of the time of year. I looked up the calcium I likely was eating and I was definitely getting enough that I shouldn't be low.. Unless my body isn't absorbing it, but my blood work from pre surgery last year showed I had middle of the range calcium in my blood..

I have been on a fat loss diet since Jan and I cut out cottage cheese, cheese etc... So my calcium intake is much lower, but my muscle knots have been constant for the last few years with no breaks.. Infact last summer when I know I was getting much more calcium, I was going to physio for dry needling etc for muscle knots in my shoulders and forearms. I was going 2-3 times a month all summer.

I will continue taking 1.2 grams of calcium for another week or two to be sure.. but odds its not my issue..


I did not hear back from any natural path doctor... I emailed/filled out their form on line, but no response. I'll make some calls when I get some free time at work when I can.


I had dry needling done yesterday.. I regained lots of ROM from it. it works so fast for me. I believe he put the needle in about 6 or 7 spots in each shoulder and a couple times in each tricep.. He was able to find all the knots by pressing and squeezing before doing the needles. I am going back next week because although lots of knots let go yesterday, they often come right back and need a few more sessions.. I know he missed a few as well. I slept through the night for the first time in a couple months last night. The sleep appnea machine showed 7.5 hours of good sleep.. I'm usually only able to get 2-3 hours before I wake up in pain trying to find a comfortable way to lay and end up taking my mask off/toss and turn for awhile..

 

[Funnyman]

If you want a good amount of calcium, eat some aged cheese, plus you get vitamin K2 in it.

 

[CoolRick]

I did lots of reflection and I just can't see low calcium being the cause of my problems... It came after looking at my previous diets over the past few years. From May- Oct, I do lots of camping/fishing etc with my family. Wife packs lots of food for everyone.. lots of stuff I don't eat.. but she always packs cheese, homemade jerky/pepperoni platters.. This is what I snack on when hungry between meals or often it's what I'll eat for lunch on these trips. And I also eat lots of cottage cheese because its easy to pack in the cooler and takes no prep to eat on these trips. In general, I do eat cottage cheese often regardless of the time of year. I looked up the calcium I likely was eating and I was definitely getting enough that I shouldn't be low.. Unless my body isn't absorbing it, but my blood work from pre surgery last year showed I had middle of the range calcium in my blood..

I have been on a fat loss diet since Jan and I cut out cottage cheese, cheese etc... So my calcium intake is much lower, but my muscle knots have been constant for the last few years with no breaks.. Infact last summer when I know I was getting much more calcium, I was going to physio for dry needling etc for muscle knots in my shoulders and forearms. I was going 2-3 times a month all summer.

I will continue taking 1.2 grams of calcium for another week or two to be sure.. but odds its not my issue..


I did not hear back from any natural path doctor... I emailed/filled out their form on line, but no response. I'll make some calls when I get some free time at work when I can.


I had dry needling done yesterday.. I regained lots of ROM from it. it works so fast for me. I believe he put the needle in about 6 or 7 spots in each shoulder and a couple times in each tricep.. He was able to find all the knots by pressing and squeezing before doing the needles. I am going back next week because although lots of knots let go yesterday, they often come right back and need a few more sessions.. I know he missed a few as well. I slept through the night for the first time in a couple months last night. The sleep appnea machine showed 7.5 hours of good sleep.. I'm usually only able to get 2-3 hours before I wake up in pain trying to find a comfortable way to lay and end up taking my mask off/toss and turn for awhile..

Glad to know you're getting some relief.

I need to do some work on my triceps as well, my elbows are not feeling so great.

 

[animal-inside]

Dry needling was Wednesday.... Had decent sleeps and relief from the cramping/knotting for a bit, but the knots have started coming back. Last night I woke up with the knots/pain in the shoulders.. Same places.. not every knot was back, my triceps still feel good.

I'm thiking if low calcium was to blame, the extra calcium I have been taking would help prevent those same knots from forming after they were released on Wednesday..

I'll give it another week and then cross it off the list