ABSTRACT
The term macrominerals refers to those elements needed by the body in milligram quantities on a daily basis. The regulation of intracellular calcium levels together with its role in metabolic regulation is the topic of intense interest by nutritionists, biochemists, and physiologists. The determination of calcium bioavailability and absorption efficiency is a complicated process that involves careful food analysis to determine calcium content, careful measurements of the food consumed followed by feces and urine analysis of calcium excretion, corrected for calcium recycling. The flux of calcium from one compartment to another plays a vital role in metabolic regulation. Calcium deficiency does indeed occur but it is usually due to other factors: lack of vitamin D activation, loss of estrogen production, adrenal dysfunction, parathyroid gland dysfunction, and so forth. If any of these conditions develop, then signs of calcium deficiency occur.
