Calcium
Supports bone density, muscle contraction and nerve signalling critical for high-impact sports.
Why it matters
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the human body, with 99% stored in bones and teeth. Beyond structural support, calcium is essential for muscle contraction, nerve transmission, and blood clotting. Every time a muscle fires, calcium triggers the contraction making it fundamental to athletic function at the most basic level.
For endurance athletes
High-impact sports like running place repeated stress on bones, making adequate calcium essential for long-term skeletal health and stress fracture prevention. Female athletes with high training loads and low energy availability are at elevated risk of the Female Athlete Triad low energy, low bone density, and menstrual disruption where calcium plays a central protective role.
Signs of deficiency
- ·Muscle cramps and spasms
- ·Stress fractures
- ·Dental problems
- ·Numbness or tingling in hands and feet
Best food sources
- ·Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese)
- ·Fortified plant milks
- ·Sardines and tinned salmon with bones
- ·Tofu (calcium-set)
- ·Kale, broccoli, bok choy
Track Calcium automatically
MOVE logs micronutrients from every food you eat and shows sport-specific context alongside your numbers.