Do you feel tired? Do you have dental problems, heart palpitations, breaking nails? Do you suffer from insomnia,  skin problems, depression … ? What is behind all these problems?

A proper physical activity and eating habits are not enough in certain periods of time in our lives. Our body needs more and there is a high probability that we lack certain vitamins and minerals that are crucial for proper functioning of our body.

The lack of calcium and vitamin D3 and K2

Calcium is the fifth essential element in the body. Ninety-nine percent of total body calcium is stored in the bones, and only 1% is in the blood. Fat-soluble vitamins, D3 and vitamin K2, affect the proper utilization of calcium. In case of a the long-term decrese of  blood calcium level, the body uses the calcium form the bones. This leads to health problems that may not be reflected immediately. The bones get more porous, fragile over time, with a higher risk of fractures and development of OSTEOPOROSIS.

Osteoporosis (bone thinning) is a metabolic bone disorder in which bone mass decreases, and disorder of bone structure increases the risk of fractures.

It is estimated that, nowadays, one in three women and one in six men over 50 years of age are threatened by development of osteoporosis and its consequences.
Every three seconds, there is somebody in the world who breaks the bone due to osteoporosis.

Annualy, more women die as a result of hip fractures than from ovarian, uterine and cervical cancer combined.

These figures are frightening and because there is an effective prevention for this disease, we developed the Slovak PROJECT „I am always in a good shape“. On the www.somstalekost.sk, you can learn how you can prevent osteoporosis and keep your bones strong and flexible up to older age by proper nutrition, movement, and, in particular, by adequate intake of natural calcium together with vitamin K2 and D3.

Why do we need more than just calcium?

The answer is simple. Calcium taken alone is not effectively absorbed and it needs vitamin K2 and D3. These two allies of calcium are one of the most important vitamins and yet their income is neglected. Vitamin D3 affects more than 200 processes in our body. It maintains the correct level of calcium in the blood, which is essential in development, growth and repair of the bones, and it is involved in the immune process, blood pressure regulation, and growth of blood, muscle and skin cells. Since we know that the supply of vitamin D3, which we get during summer, will last only for a few weeks, it is not surprising that more than 60% people suffer from a vitamin D3 insuficiency. It is therefore recommended for children, women during pregnancy and lactation, women in middle age and menopause as well as seniors to use natural calcium together with vitamins K2 and D3, regularly. Our body is not able to produce and intake these substances in sufficient quantity, and therefore we have to take them in a form of dietary supplements.

Why is the NATURAL calcium best for human?

The reason is simple. The absorption of natural calcium, that is produced from egg shells, is 30% higher than calcium produced by a chemical reaction. The advantage of natural product is also the fact that eggshell, in addition to calcium, contains other essential mineral elements, namely magnesium, phosphorus, strontium, copper, zinc, and it does not contain any additional chemicals that would be harmful for the body.

How much calcium do we need?

The daily recommended dose of calcium depends on the age, gender and other factors. A woman needs a higher daily dose of calcium if she is pregnant, lactating, or in menopausal age. It ranges from 800 to 1,200 mg of calcium per day. Calcium plays an important role and it can speed up healing process of fractures. The daily recommended dose of calcium for an adult in case of fracture is 1,500 mg per day.

What is vitamin D3?

This vitamin is also called the sunshine vitamin because 90% of it is produced by effect of sunshine. In Slovakia and elsewhere in Europe, we have a shortage of vitamin D3 because its supply from summer tanning lasts just for a few weeks or months. The vitamin D is needed for absorbtion of calcium into our body. Vitamin D3 is a naturally occurring form of vitamin D, which is produced in the skin by sunlight. The most important role of this vitamin is to maintain the proper level of calcium and phosphorus in blood. The proper levels of these minerals are important for bone development and growth in childhood and for bone repairment in adulthood. Vitamin D is also involved in several immune processes, regulation of blood pressure and growth of the blood, muscle, and skin cells. Vitamin D affects more than 200 processes in our body and its importance has been confirmed by numerous studies. Only small amount of food products are source of vitamin D and based on the latest research,  we are able to absorb only 10% vitamin D from food. Vitamin D is present for example in the flesh of fatty fish such as salmon, tuna fish, sardines, mackerel and in an oil from their liver. Small amounts of vitamin D can be also found in beef liver, egg yolk, milk, dairy products, yeast, mushrooms dried on he sun, cocoa and coconut. Thus the sunshine is the main source of vitamin D (about 90%). During one day on the sun almost 1,200 micrograms of vitamin D (1 ppm = 40 I.U) can be formed.

There is a probability that also you who have a lack of vitamin D3

Several factors affect the absorbtion of vitamin D. Because the main source of vitamin D is a sunshine and the sun does not shine intensively throughout the year, especially critical period for sufficient vitamin D supply is from November till February. The newborns and infants cannot be greatly exposed to the sun and thus they are supplied, in the first year of life, with the vitamin D in the form of drops. Currently, almost 60% of population in all age groups suffer from the lack of vitamin D. Another reason for the lack of vitamin D3 may be a smog, which limits transmision of solar radiation, as well as the use of protective sunscreen agents. Age also plays its role in this process, because older people have reduced ability to accept the vitamin D during their stay at the sun. Similarly,  the people with naturally higher pigmentation or people with tanned skin have reduced ability to acccept the vitamin D.

New project for healthy bones

Therefore, the only producer of natural calcium in Central Europe, Slovak pharmaceutical company BIOMIN from Cifer, launches project – I’m always in a good shape. “The website with the same name is open to all who want to have strong bones, beautiful teeth, resilient blood vessels, healthy heart, strong muscles and good immune system. Namely calcium affects all these processes”, explains Dr. Ingrid Oppenbergerová, Medical Director of BIOMIN company.

At the website www.somstalekost.sk you can find all information that will help you “stay in a good shape” until older age. You will learn how to have strong bones, beautiful teeth, resilient blood vessels, healthy heart, strong muscles and good immune system. You will also learn why is an adequate intake of natural calcium together with vitamins K2 and D3 important for our bones in every age.

Did you know?

• If you, in a long-term, do not take sufficient amount of calcium in your diet, calcium in blood decreases and the body normalize the blood level of calcium by taking it from the bones.
• Daily recommended dose is 800 to 1,200 mg of calcium, 800 I.U. of vitamin D3 and 60 micrograms of vitamin K2.
• You should take calcium in the evening because in that time of the day, calcium is the best absorbed into the bones and teeth.
• You should take vitamin K2 and D3 in the morning.
• The highest risk of osteoporotic fractures have slim women of lower stature, often blonde with blue eyes, which do not tan and move less.