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Health & Nutrition |
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Worried about your calcium intake? If you’re active, here are
just a few key questions to ask your doctor at your next physical.
| The 411 On Your Body |
Oxygen
#63, pg. 76 |
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Q:
Doc, do you need to know which supplements I take?
A: “It’s
always advisable to inform your health care provider of all medications,
both prescription or over-the-counter, and supplements that you’re
taking,” says Jennifer Childress, an assistant professor at the St.
Louis College of Pharmacy. “Many fat-burning supplements contain high
doses of caffeine or caffeine precursors in addition to a variety of other
herbal ingredients. Some of these same ingredients may be in over-the-counter
pain relievers or cold remedies.” As a 
cardiac stimulant, caffeine increases the risk of irregular heartbeat when
used with, for example, high blood pressure or asthma medication. Drugs
can interact in complicated and sometimes dangerous ways, says Wilson. “Some
interfere with blood clotting before surgery like vitamin E, and St. John’s
wort has been reported to make birth control pills less effective.”
Your best bet is to give the doctor a list of everything you take; for supplements
that contain more than one ingredient, bring the bottle with you so the
physician can look at its label.
Q:
Can my body fat level possibly be too low?
A:
“It’s recommended that females not allow their body fat levels
to drop below 10 to 12 percent,” says Yolanda Dixon, winner of the
2003 Fitness America West Coast Pageant. If a woman exercises and diets
constantly to push her body fat below a normal level, her brain will perceive
this activity not as an improvement, but as a threat. “The brain tells
the ovaries to shut down because this is a bad time to conceive,”
explains Dr. Kathleen W. Wilson, an internal medicine specialist in New
Orleans. “The ovaries stop making enough estrogen, and the woman goes
into a menopauselike state.”
Q:
Do I need to take calcium supplements?
A:
No matter how often you exercise, you need the same level of calcium as
every other woman: 1,200 milligrams daily. “Calcium and vitamin D
are extremely important,” says Dr. Dana S. Simpler, who practices
internal medicine privately and is associated with Mercy Medical Center
in Baltimore. “Vitamin D is needed for calcium to be absorbed into
the bones.” If you run short, your bloodstream will simply pull what
it needs from your bones, leading to persistent leg cramps and a weaker
frame. “Unfortunately,” says Simpler, “if you aren’t
supplementing your diet with calcium, you’re probably not getting
enough.” The recommended daily intake of vitamin D is 400 to 800 IU,
which can be satisfied by supplements or approximately 15 minutes of sun
exposure each day.
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To read the full article, pick
up a copy of Oxygen
#63
today!
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