The musculoskeletal system is the basis of the body. The skeleton protects individual organs from mechanical damage, so the vitality of the person as a whole depends on its condition. In our article, we will consider the composition of bones, the features of their structure and substances that are necessary for their growth and development.
Features of the structure of bone tissue
Bone is a type of connective tissue. It consists of specialized cells and a large amount of intercellular substance. Together, this structure is both strong and flexible. Bones are harnessed, first of all, by specialized cells - osteocytes. They have many outgrowths, with the help of which they are interconnected.
Visually, osteocytes resemble a network. The intercellular substance is the elastic basis of bone tissue. It consists of collagen protein fibers, a mineral base.
Bone composition
A fourth of the total bone chemistry is water. It is the basis for all metabolic processes. Inorganic substances give bones strength. These are salts of calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, as well as phosphorus compounds. Their percentage is 50%.
To prove their importance for this type of fabric, you can conduct a simple experiment. To do this, the bone must be placed in a solution of hydrochloric acid. As a result, minerals dissolve. The bone will become so elastic that it can be tied into a knot.
25% of the chemical composition is organic matter. They are represented by elastic collagen protein. It gives the fabric elasticity. If you burn the bone over low heat, the water will evaporate, and the organic matter will burn. In this case, the bone will become brittle and may crumble.
What substances make bones hard?
The chemical composition of bone tissue changes throughout a person’s life. At a young age, organic matter predominates in it. During this period, the bones are flexible and soft. Therefore, with improper body position and excessive loads, the skeleton may bend, causing a violation of posture. This can be prevented by systematic sports and physical activity.
Over time, the amount of mineral salts in the bones increases. However, they lose their elasticity. Mineral salts, which include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, fluorine, give bones hardness. But with excessive loads, they can lead to a violation of integrity and fractures.
Calcium is especially important for bones. Its mass in the human body is 1 kg in women and 1.5 kg in men.
The role of calcium in the body
99% of the total amount of calcium is in the bones, forming a strong skeleton frame. The remaining percentage is blood. This macrocell is the building material of teeth and bones, a necessary condition for their growth and development.
In the human body, calcium also regulates the functioning of muscle tissue, including cardiac tissue. Together with magnesium and sodium, it will affect the level of blood pressure, and with prothrombin, its coagulability.
Enzyme activation, triggering the synthesis mechanism of neurotransmitters, also depends on the level of calcium. These are biologically active substances through which an impulse is transmitted from a cell of nerve tissue to muscles. This macrocell also affects the activation of a number of enzymes that perform various functions: the breakdown of biopolymers, fat metabolism, the synthesis of amylase and maltase.
Calcium enhances the permeability of the surface apparatus of cells, in particular their membranes. This is very important for the transport of various substances and maintaining homeostasis - the constancy of the internal environment of the body.
Healthy foods
As you can see, a lack of calcium in the body can lead to serious disruption of its functioning. Every day, a child should consume about 600 mg of this substance, an adult - 1000 mg. And for pregnant and lactating women, this figure must be increased in one and a half to two times.
What foods are rich in calcium? First of all, it is a variety of dairy products: kefir, fermented baked milk, sour cream, cottage cheese ... And the leader among them are hard types of cheeses. And the matter is not even in the amount of calcium, but in its form. These products contain milk sugar - lactose, which contributes to better absorption of this chemical element. The amount of calcium also depends on fat content. The lower this figure, the more it is in a dairy product.
Rich in calcium and vegetables. These are spinach, broccoli, white cabbage and cauliflower. Of the nuts, the most valuable are almonds and Brazilian. The real storehouse of calcium is the seed of poppy and sesame. They are useful to use both raw and in the form of milk.
The increase in calcium levels is also facilitated by eating wheat bran and baking from whole grain flour, soy cheese and milk, parsley leaves, dill, basil and mustard.
Dangerous symptoms
How to understand that calcium in the body is not enough for its normal development? External manifestations of this are weakness, irritability, fatigue, dry skin, fragility of the nail plate. With a serious calcium deficiency, tooth decay, cramps, pain and numbness of the extremities, impaired blood coagulation, decreased immunity, tachycardia, cataracts, and a tendency to frequent bone fractures are observed. In such cases, it is necessary to donate blood and, if necessary, proceed to therapy.
So, their mineral components give bones hardness. First of all, these are salts, which include calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.