Calcium good for muscle stiffness?

[tammay]

Hello all,
About three weeks ago I started cutting dairy completely out of my diet (for both weight loss and health reasons) which got me concerned with calcium intake. Also three weeks ago I started upping my exercise (3x week The Firm, 30 minutes lower body, 3x week Pilates 30 minutes, 4 times week 60 minute walk at the indoor track at the gym) and started noticing that I was developing muscle stiffness, mainly in my left side (neck, shoulder, upper outer thigh - probably the left side only because that's the side I drag all my school books on :( ). Anyway, last week I read that women should have an intake of 1200 mg of calcium a day (roughly, 3 servings of dairy) so I started taking that. The past few days I've noticed my muscle stiffness is almost completely gone and I'm fairing much better even after I walk (which is usually when the thigh stiffness begins).

I know calcium is good for bone marrow, but is it also good for muscular pain? Or is it just I'm getting used to the heavy exercise (heavy for me)?

Tam

[cs_carver]

Calcium is used in bones but it's also a major player in your nervous system sos making sure you get enough may help everything work more smoothly.

Consider a bit of research, unless this is already taken care of and you just didn't think to mention it in your post: Many professionals recommend supplemental magnesium when you take calcium, such that the ratio is about 2:1 cal:mag.

[tammay]

Thank you for the response. I have read that cal and mag should be taken together. I'm not taking an extra suppliment of mag right now (no more, that is, than what's included in a woman's multivitamin - from a health food store, not the Centrum variety...) though I have in the past. Unfortunately, I don't digest the mag well (that is, it tends to give me bad runs, even a small amount of 300-400 mg). Is it recommended because it helps the cal absorb better? I will do research!

Tam