Tag Archives: calcium

Radioactive Brazil nuts and the naturalistic fallacy


Brazil nuts. Source: Wikipedia












Radioactivity in nature

Calcium blocks lead absorption

Everyone knows about calcium. I don’t think it is really necessary to list why it is so important for human health, but I’ll say it anyway – it is needed to build strong bones, as well as for proper functioning of the heart and muscles. Lack of calcium can even lead to heart failure in the elderly. It also has many other functions, but these are its most important duties. While you can get calcium from milk, leafy green vegetables like kale and collard greens are even better sources.

What isn’t as well known is that calcium can block the absorption of lead, which is very toxic even in small doses. This is yet another reason you should make sure you are getting enough calcium. This is especially important in communities where children are exposed to lead, since it can permanently damage the brain.

According to the Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet- Human Nutrition and Food Management:

An adequate calcium intake can protect against lead poisoning. It has been observed in animals and humans that both the absorption and retention of lead decreases as calcium intake increases. Many children at risk for exposure to excess lead are also those who live at the poverty level, and may consume a diet with insufficient calcium. Therefore, increasing consumption of low-cost calcium rich foods can reduce the severity of the effects of lead exposure.

Why lead exposure in young children is especially problematic:

Epidemiologic studies of children show that those exposed to lead, even low levels of lead, may have a lower IQ, learning disabilities, behavioral abnormalities and kidney damage. Cognitive and growth defects also may occur in infants whose mothers are exposed to lead during pregnancy. Lead intoxication is a widespread problem. One of every nine children under six years of age has blood lead levels high enough to be at risk. In 1970, an estimated 3 million children aged less than 6 years had blood lead levels associated with adverse health events. Children in older, inner-city neighborhoods are more likely to be affected, but children in suburban and rural areas are at risk too.

There are a lot of ways to ensure you are getting enough calcium, but make food your primary source. While you can get calcium from dairy, vegans or people with lactose intolerance require another source. Luckily, the bioavailability of calcium in kale is even higher than the calcium in milk. It must be noted that while spinach has a lot of calcium, spinach also has a lot of oxalic acid which can block calcium absorption. Therefore, do not rely on spinach or other high oxalic acid foods for calcium(kale is a low oxalic acid vegetable). Oxalic acid also contributes to kidney stones.

Increasingly, many foods and beverages are fortified with calcium, like orange juice and rice milk for example. Also make sure you get enough vitamin D to absorb the calcium. If you have very young children, do all you can to make their environment lead free, besides making sure they get enough calcium. Don’t forget that lead tastes sweet.

Lead poisoning in children

The vitamin K family and bone health



Phylloquinone chemical structure

Phylloquinone chemical structure

Menaquinone chemical structure

Menaquinone chemical structure





According to the same vitamin K researchers quoted above:







Copyright © 2012 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.


Lactic acid is not your enemy

The idea that lactic acid causes muscle fatigue and stiffness during exercise is a stubborn one. It has been discredited by scientific research, but many fitness enthusiasts still see lactic acid as an enemy that interferes with performance.

Not only does lactic acid(which in the body is in the form called “lactate”) not cause muscle fatigue, it is actually used as an important fuel during vigorous exercise.

This myth goes back to the early 20th century, but it was fully discredited only recently.

All this begs the question: What is causing the fatigue and stiffness that was once blamed on lactate? According to researchers at Columbia University, it may be caused by overworked muscles leaking calcium, among many other factors. And acidity in general in fatigued muscles may play a role in stiffness and fatigue, it’s just not the lactate causing most of it.

So what’s the solution? The idea of calcium leakage partially causing muscle fatigue doesn’t mean most people should consume less calcium, as this is a vital mineral(it is possible to get too much, and it can cause problems but this is rare). However, and I am just speculating here, maybe ensuring adequate vitamin K consumption can help prevent this a little, since it helps with calcium metabolism, along with making sure you get enough magnesium. Calcium helps muscles contract, magnesium helps them contract as well as relax; if you have too much calcium in your body relative to the amount of magnesium, this can be problematic(in fact, not getting enough magnesium may be detrimental to your heart).

It is relatively east to get enough magnesium if you eat like a rabbit – lots of leafy greens, nuts, and whole grains. Fermented vegetables are an especially good source of vitamin K. If you are taking calcium supplements, it may be a good idea to take supplements that combine magnesium with the calcium, to counteract the potentially negative effects of calcium. Try discussing this with your doctor or pharmacist.

Proper hydration and making sure you are getting the right amount of electrolytes helps too. I don’t think stretching would help, since just because a muscle is stiff doesn’t mean it needs to be stretched. Increasingly, science is showing that stretching is practically useless for most people.