The musculoskeletal system is the backbone of the body. The skeleton protects individual organs from mechanical damage, so the viability 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 the 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 elastic. Hardness is given to bones, first of all, by specialized cells - osteocytes. They have many outgrowths, with the help of which they are connected to each other.
Visually, osteocytes resemble a network. The intercellular substance is the elastic basis of bone tissue. It is made up of collagen protein fibers, a mineral base.
Composition of bones
A quarter of the entire chemical composition of bones is water. It is the basis for the flow of all metabolic processes. Hardness is given to bones by inorganic substances. These are s alts of calcium, sodium, potassium and magnesium, as well as phosphorus compounds. Their percentage is 50%.
To prove their significance for a given 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 will dissolve. The bone will then become so elastic that it can be tied into a knot.
25% of the chemical composition is organic matter. They are represented by the elastic protein collagen. It gives elasticity to the fabric. If the bone is calcined 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 incorrect body position and excessive loads, the skeleton can bend, causing a violation of posture. Systematic sports and physical activity can prevent this.
Over time, the amount of mineral s alts in the bones increases. At the same time, they lose their elasticity. Hardness is given to bones by mineral s alts, which include calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and fluorine. But under excessive loads, they can lead to a violation of the 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 skeletal framework. The rest is blood. This macronutrient 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 heart tissue. Together with magnesium and sodium, it will affect the level of blood pressure, and with prothrombin - on its coagulability.
The activation of enzymes, which triggers the mechanism of neurotransmitter synthesis, also depends on the level of calcium. These are biologically active substances through which the impulse is transmitted from the cells of the nervous tissue to the muscles. This macronutrient also affects the activation of a number of enzymes that perform various functions: the breakdown of biopolymers, fat metabolism, the synthesis of amylase and m altase.
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.
Useful products
As you can see, 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 breastfeeding womenthis figure should be increased by one and a half to two times.
What foods are rich in calcium? First of all, these are a variety of dairy products: kefir, fermented baked milk, sour cream, cottage cheese … And the leader among them are hard cheeses. And it's not even 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 the fat content. The lower this indicator, the more it is in the dairy product.
Vegetables are also rich in calcium. These are spinach, broccoli, white cabbage and cauliflower. Of the nuts, the most valuable are almonds and Brazilian. A real storehouse of calcium is poppy and sesame seeds. They are useful both raw and in the form of milk.
Eating wheat bran and baking with whole wheat flour, soy cheese and milk, parsley leaves, dill, basil and mustard can also increase calcium levels.
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 lack of calcium, tooth decay, convulsions, pain and numbness of the limbs, a violation of the blood coagulation process, a decrease in immunity, tachycardia, the development of cataracts, and a tendency to frequent bone fractures are observed. In such cases, it is necessary to donate blood and, if necessary, start therapy.
So, what makes bones hard is their mineral components. First of all, these are s alts, which include calcium, magnesium and phosphorus.
