On Fri, 06 Oct 2000, Cave Chick wrote: > 3 oz of canned salmon only contains around 300 milligrams of calcium -- so a > whole 7 ounce can would only be half of the recommended 1,200mg per day women > are supposed to get. I'm wondering if this recommended amount is just a lot > of hoohey. Thoughts? Also, one would have to eat completely unrealistic > amounts of greens to make up the deficit. The recommended amount may be misleading, as a person's calcium status appears to be more related to the ratio between absorption and excretion. Some factors affecting absorption :- 1/.The ratio between calcium and magnesium in the diet. 2/.The amount of vitamin D available. 3/.The amount of phytic acid and other mineral binding compounds in the diet. Some factors affecting excretion :- 1/.The pH balance produced by the metabolism of the diet. A diet which produces an acidic residue is often buffered using calcium. 2/.The amount of exercise taken. There are many more factors involved, the above, incomplete, selection being taken from :- "Textbook of Pharmacology" by Bowman/Rand. We know that HG's don't use dairy products, and I agree that eating several kilo's of greens each day would seem to be unlikely. It may be that a HG, who spends a lot of time in the sun, does a lot of exercise, eats no grain products, and has a diet which produces a neutral acid residue, can get by on a much lower intake of calcium. It would appear that many other factors have to be considered apart from total daily intake. Andy.