Calcium & Hair

The human body requires a certain amount of a number of essential minerals on a daily basis; calcium is one of these essentials. Calcium is a building block for both hair and nails, and as your body is constantly losing it, it needs a constant supply to remain healthy. Calcium is present in many different foods, including almost any dairy product. In addition, calcium supplements are readily available. Ingesting too much calcium can have negative results on the body, including your hair.

Things You'll Need

• Calcium supplements

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Instructions

• 1

  Eat calcium-rich foods, such as dairy products; dark, leafy green vegetables; and fish with soft bones to meet the recommended daily intake of calcium, which is about 1,000 mg, depending on your age and sex. One serving of each of these three foods will provide about 1,000 mg of calcium.

• 2

  Take 1,000 mg of calcium per day in the form of a supplement. If you ingest large amounts of calcium-rich foods, like dairy products, for instance, then you may need less than 1,000 mg of calcium. In total, you should not consume more than 2,500 mg of calcium per day.

• 3

  Stop drinking soda and cut back on baked goods and processed foods. All three contain large amounts of phosphorus, which can prevent the assimilation of calcium into your body, according to the University of Arizona.

• 4

  Cut back on the amount of sugar that you eat. According to a study that was conducted with rats, as reported in the "Clinical and Experimental Obstetrics and Gynecology" journal, sugar causes insulin resistance, which can prevent your body from absorbing calcium. If the different elements in your body that require calcium, such as your hair, cannot absorb enough, you may experience negative results.

• 5

  Reduce your fat intake. Excess fat in your diet can be another cause of poor calcium absorption because, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the more fat food contains, the less calcium is contains.