Calcium is the mineral most likely to be deficient in the average diet. Calcium deficiency is a condition in which we fail to receive or to metabolize an adequate supply of Calcium. Calcium is the chief supportive element in bones and teeth. Calcium salts make up about 70 percent of bone by weight and give your bone its strength and rigidity. Recent research even points to calcium deficiency as being a possible cause of hypertension (high blood pressure) and of colon cancer. You need calcium to prevent osteoporosis. But a lack of this mineral means more than weak bones. Key organs and bodily functions, like your heart and metabolism, need calcium to operate at their best. Yet only 21 percent of us are getting the recommended amount of calcium, according to federal government statistics.

Hi Mike,

I am one of those people who don't get enough calcium. I am lactose intolerant so cannot drink milk or eat ice cream without digestive upset. I am taking calcium supplements, but only once a day because I was told you cannot take your supplement within several hours of taking thyroid medicine. I take calcium in the evening because I take thyroid medicine in the morning.

I just had a Reclast IV, which is a once-yearly IV of medication that helps build up your bones. I have osteopenia which is the stage of bone loss before osteoporosis.

DonnaZ