The skeleton is a complicated organism consisted of the bone matrix (accounts for 1/3) and the bone mineral substance (accounts for 2/3). The bone matrix’s essential component is collagen, accounts for 90% up. The bone mineral substance’s essential component is hydroxyl calcium phosphate and few of hydroxyl magnesium phosphate. Collagen plays an adhesive and supporting role. In skeleton the proportion of collagen and hydroxyl calcium phosphate is in a state of dynamical equilibrium. If there is no enough ossein, the calcium salt can not be deposited.
Bones containing sufficient collagen are strong and elastic. Lacking collagen there are brittle and weak. Collagen which builds strong bones and related tissues protects from spur formation and helps prevent the drainage of valuable calcium from bony tissues which could lead to osteoporosis or osteoarthritis.
Moreover, as to calcium absorption, collagen is also playing an extremely important role. The calcium inside the body mostly exists outside cells but mainly in the skeleton, tooth and few in the blood plasma which normally called blood calcium. They have composed the body calcium store. The bone calcium and the blood calcium are in the dynamic equilibrium which is controlled by the blood calcium homeostasis (mainly includes suprarenal gland hormone, Vitamin D and calcitonin).
The protein for carrying calcium mainly is by hydroxyproline (a kind of amino acid as collagen’s characteristics). Therefore, the content of hydroxyproline is an important factor for absorbing calcium, but suprarenal adrenal gland hormone with Vitamin D is another important regulating factor.
Therefore, the relationship between collagen and calcium in the body includes two aspects: ① Hydroxyproline being from collagen in the blood plasma is the carrier for transporting calcium to the bone; ② Collagen in the bone tissue (ossein) is the adhesive of hydroxyl calcium phosphate. Hydroxyl calcium phosphate and ossein constituted the main body of skeleton.
Then the best way to replenish calcium is the regular supplement of collagen which is combined with calcium. i.e. calcium supplement is not the first goal, but the essential and most important thing is the supplement and metabolism of collagen. In other words, so long as taking in enough collagen and being in normal metabolism, the healthy body can have normal demand and ability to absorb calcium from food regularly. It is why the food we have everyday contains a plentiful of calcium but the body is still lack of calcium.