Naopal Cactus (Prickly Pear) Contains Calcium

(*) See References and Disclaimer at the bottom of the page.

Nopal cactus (prickly pear) contains calcium, the body's most abundant mineral. Teeth and bones make up 99% of the calcium in our body while the other 1% is found in our fluids and tissues where it is used for a variety of purposes such as nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, cell metabolism, and blood clotting(1*). In addition, many enzymatic reactions that take place in the body are dependent on calcium(2*), (3*), (4*).

A deficiency of calcium may lead to osteoporosis, a condition in which the bones' tissue breakdown occurs faster than their tissue creation(5*). In addition to becoming less dense (the outer bone actually becomes porous) bones also become more brittle which leads to an increased risk of fractures and breaks(6*). Women who have gone through menopause are at the greatest risk for developing osteoporosis for two reasons:

1. Compared to men they naturally have smaller, less dense bones.

2. It has been shown that the drop in estrogen after menopause is a direct risk factor for developing osteoporosis(7*), (8*), (9*).

Hypocalcemia, or a shortage of calcium in the blood, may be symptomatic of a parathyroid disorder. Symptoms of hypocalcemia include muscle twitches, numbness, tingling sensations, and muscle spasms. Hypocalcemia should not be taken lightly as it can also lead to osteoporosis - if the parathyroid glands detect that levels of calcium in the blood are low they will "instruct" the body to take it from its bones to increase the amount of calcium in the blood and this, in turn, makes the bones less dense(10*), (11*), (12*).

Sources Of Calcium

Dairy, Dried Fruit, Leafy Green Vegetables, Nuts, Tofu, and Nopal Cactus (Prickly Pear) from Natural Home Cures Freeze Dried Nopal Powder Capsules (Prickly Pear)(13*), (14*), (15*).

     Source References
(1) Wikipedia: Calcium
(2) National Institue of Health: Calcium
(3) Osteoporosis Canada: Calcium: An Important Nutrient that Builds Stronger Bones
(4) WebMD: Calcium
(5)
National Osteoporosis Foundation: Calcium and Vitamin D - What You Need to Know
(6) Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: Get Enough Calcium
(7) International Osteoporosis Foundation: Calcium-Rich Foods
(8) National Institute of Child Health and Human Development: What Are Good Sources of Calcium?
(9) Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Osteoporosis Among Estrogen-Deficient Women
(10) Harvard School of Public Health: Calcium and Milk: What's Best for Your Bones and Health?
(11) National Institute Arthritis/Musculoskeletal/Skin Diseases: Calcium and Vitamin D
(12) Parathyroid.com: Osteoporosis and Parathyroid Disease
(13) Wikipedia: Calcium Metabolism
(14) Mayo Clinic: Calcium Supplements: Do Men Need Them Too?
(15) Mayo Clinic: Calcium Supplements: A Risk Factor for Heart Attack?