Running is great exercise. It is excellent for your cardiovascular health, helps you maintain a healthy weight, and helps keep your bones strong. Many runners would say that it’s also good for the soul, but that’s another post altogether. Running is also an intense heart and limb pounding exercise that requires proper training, rest, and nutrition to reach maximum potential and avoid injury. Today we’re going to talk about why runners need calcium and vitamin D help fuel their bodies.
This post is sponsored by FitFormula Wellness. All opinions are my own.
Why Runners Need Calcium and Vitamin D
Why Runners Need Calcium
Of course, runners need to maintain a nutritious diet in general to fuel their bodies and remain healthy, but calcium plays an important role in bone health that runners should take note of. The human skeleton stores calcium, and if enough is not consumed in our diets, our bodies will pull it from our bones in order to maintain health. That leaves the body in a negative state of calcium balance, which may lead to bone loss.
Runners are constantly breaking down bone. With an adequate calcium balance, that bone is rebuilt. Without that balance, bone may not be effectively rebuilt, increasing the risk of injuries, particularly stress fractures. And while stress fractures are not always a result of poor diet, not consuming enough calcium can add an additional risk factor.
Runners need different amounts of calcium at different stages of their lives. A middle or high school cross country runner should get about 1300 mg. a day, while an adult needs about 1000 mg. Older adults (over 50 or post-menopause in women) should get about 1200 mg of calcium per day.
Runners who are amenorrheic (have lost their periods) should make an effort to get even more calcium, about 400 mg. more per day. They should also maintain adequate calorie consumption, aiming for an even balance between calories ingested and calories burned.
Of course, human beings, whether they are runners or not, also need calcium for strong teeth, and for their hearts, muscles, and nerves to function properly. It is also important for hormone and enzyme release.
What About Vitamin D?
Vitamin D is essential in helping to absorb calcium. While we get much Vitamin D from sunlight, poor weather, sunscreen, and other factors may prevent us from getting enough. I personally frequently test insufficient in Vitamin D, even though I live in a sunny desert area.
Where to Get Enough Calcium
While the simple suggestion to get more calcium has always been, “drink more milk,” there are a few problems with this solution. Many adults are lactose intolerant or no longer drink or enjoy milk (and many children don’t care for it either). Other dairy products have some calcium, and non-dairy “milks” are frequently fortified, but that may not be an overall solution either.
Plant-based eaters, like myself, must make an extra effort to ingest enough calcium. Many greens contain calcium, as do beans, grains, and some fruits, so it is important to make sure that you are eating plentifully from all of these sources.
FitFormula CAL-EZ: A Simple Solution
As a plant-based runner, I do try to maintain a healthy diet, including getting enough calcium and Vitamin D. I want to be extra sure though, so I have started using FitFormula CAL-EZ daily.
CAL-EZ is a simple packet that can be added to almost any food or drink. It is tasteless and dissolves immediately. Each packet contains 1000 mg. of calcium and 1000 IU of Vitamin D.
I have found for me that the easiest way is to add it to my daily water bottle that I carry with me everywhere I go. I am actually drinking more water this way because I know that I want to get all my calcium! Win/Win!
I have heard of others who have added it to their coffee, yogurt, or juice. Some even take a calcium “shot,” dissolve it in a small glass of water or juice and knock it back!
These ideas are especially useful for children, who may not like to take pills (or drink milk!). Adding it to their breakfast is an easy way to make sure they are getting enough calcium to build those strong bones.
FitFormula CAL-EZ is made of pure ingredients: no fillers, additives, or preservatives. Because the powder is tasteless and dissolves quickly it can be added to almost any food, making it easy to get your daily calcium requirements. It has no calories, no sodium, no sugar, and no artificial ingredients. The Vitamin D comes from a plant-based source making it suitable for vegans. It can even be divided! If you prefer, you can add 1/2 packet to your coffee in the morning and the other half later on in the day!
FitFormula CAL-EZ Calcium + Vitamin D is an easy and affordable way to make sure that you and your family are getting sufficient calcium in your diets. A monthly subscription is only $12.99 (and the shipping is free). Subscribe to FitFormula CAL-EZ Calcium + Vitamin D and your CAL-EZ is shipped to you every month. You can save 50% on your CAL-EZ purchase with the code debbie (case sensitive, good on your first purchase through May 10).
CAL-EZ Giveaway!
The giveaway is over but you cans still save 50% on your purchase with the code debbie (through May 10)!
I am super excited to share this information about CAL-EZ with you. I’m proud to be working with this new product and company and I know that you will love it as much as I do.
Do you feel like you get enough calcium in your diet? Why or why not?
You should consult with a healthcare professional before starting any diet, exercise, supplementation or medication program.
And Now It’s Time for the Running Coaches’ Corner!
Linkup with the #RunningCoachesCorner with @running_onhappy @loramarie03! Bring your best #runningrelated posts, find new blogs to follow, and share your love of #running!Click To Tweet[inlinkz_linkup id=774180 mode=1]
Weekly Linkups
My weekly linkups! Please stop by and check out all of the great recipes, workouts, and information that all these awesome bloggers share every week!
Meatless Monday with Sarah and Deborah
Meatless Monday with Annmarie and Dixya
Tuesdays on the Run with Marcia, Erika, and Patty
Inspire Me Monday with Janice
Wild Workout Wednesday with Annmarie, Jen, and Nicole
The Plant-Based Potluck Party with Deborah
The Running Coaches’ Corner with Rachel, Lora Marie, and Me!
Friday 5 2.0 with Rachel and Lacey and Meranda
I’ve also tested low for Vitamin D living in sunny SoCal! So important to have sufficient vitamins and minerals. Great giveaway!
It always surprised me that my D could be low (though I do tend to hide from the sun in the summer)!
As a vegetarian, calcium and vitamin D intake is certainly something I pay attention to. I would definitely try this!
It’s really easy and convenient.
What a great product! Not only for me (who needs calcium/vit D) but also for my many young patients who don’t drink milk! I test many of my patients Vit D level and they are deficient. This would be a great, easy way to get both important components into their diets.
I don’t think people realize that a lot of kids don’t care for milk. This is such an easy way to make sure they have enough.
Living where we get virtually NO sun for a good portion of the year, I definitely could use some extra vitamin D.
It’s good to get it checked.
I had been taking vitamin D for several years after testing low – last time I got mine tested it was actually a bit higher than the recommended range! So I figure it is time to back off the supplements for a bit, especially considering the amount of sun we get during the summer.
Shows the importance of getting checked, whether you’re too low or too high.
I need this so I can have strength and endurance!
Yes! It helps that too!
Although my Vitamin D levels have not been tested, I do take a supplement . I also drink a lot of milk and love my cheese, so my calcium is probably on track (though I do take a calcium supplement as well). This looks like a great product….dissolving it into water certainly seems like a no-fail method for those who need the extra supplementation.
It’s definitely easy! It’s still important to get it checked to make sure you’re getting enough (or too much as in a comment above)!
My vitamin D is persistently low, and I’m not sure I get a lot of absorbable calcium in my diet. This looks like an easy way to supplement!
Vitamin D is important to help absorb calcium, so supplementing may help. Check with your doctor.
A few years ago my doctor said I had low vitamin D. I changed up my vitamins and it seems to have helped. I’m sure the lack of sunlight in the winter has made my levels a bit lower again lately!
It’s harder than you’d think to get enough Vitamin D. I’m almost always low even though I live where it’s sunny most days of the year. I hope this will help.
I actually don’t take calcium… I probably should. But I read (who knows where or when) that there’s evidence that calcium could be bad for the heart for those with family history of heart disease. I stopped taking calcium then and there. I should probably ask my doctor about that, though…
FitFormula always recommends that you check with your doctor first. You do need calcium though, so maybe making sure you get enough through your diet is a safer way.
This also gives you the added bonus of encouragement to drink more water!
Great info! This would certainly make getting those important things easy and convenient .
I don’t do dairy so I likely don’t get enough.
You know I really could use more calcium in my diet. I do take multivitamins but I’m always skeptical as to whether they’re effective. I never made the connection to its impact on running/vice-versa. Thanks!
As a running and breastfeeding momma I feel like I don’t get enough of anything 😆
Not completely sure but my guess is I could use a bit more 🙂
I don’t think I get enough calcium, because I cut out dairy in my diet. This supplement looks amazing for me.
I am a marathoner and started my journey as a runner from last 3 years. Although running is not my profession it’s my passion. On daily basis I run 20 kms which makes me very active for rest of my day but after such a tight workout body requires more nutrients and vitamins.
Few months back my doctor advised me to start Vitamin D as it is very important for any runner. So I started taking Holland and Barrett Vitamin D capsules.
No, I don’t feel like I’m getting enough vitamin D because I always feel fatigued and tired most days where I just put off my morning jogs.
I feel I get an adequate amount of calcium, but I feel like I could use more especially when training.
I feel like I get a lot of calcium, but I now I don’t get enough vitamin d
I feel like I do not get enough calcium and I am working on it everyday.