February 21, 2014

What You Should Know about Osteoporosis

Photo by Mathew Schwartz on Unsplash

Building strong bones is important throughout our lives. From our childhood days, we’re taught to drink milk to help keep our bones strong and healthy. But there’s a lot more to it than just drinking milk. The long term effects of osteoporosis can wreak havoc on your body over time. It’s important to note that osteoporosis can affect an individual at any age which, to the surprise of many, includes children on rare occasions. But generally, it affects people over the age of 50. By the age of 70, almost 40 percent of women will suffer from at least one fracture related to osteoporosis.

Calcium for Bone Health

Strengthening your bones at a young age can literally ‘make or break’ your bones when you are older. Eating a diet rich in bone-strengthening foods can significantly reduce the effects of osteoporosis over time. Calcium, the major nutrient needed to form new bone cells, is vital for bone health. Your bones store more than 99 percent of the calcium in your body. Milk, yogurt and cheese have the highest amount of calcium.

Senior Men and Women over 50 more Prone to Osteoporosis

Other good sources of calcium include almonds, dark green leafy vegetables and calcium-fortified tofu. Our calcium needs change at different stages of life:

Children ages 4 to 8 need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day.
Children ages 9 to 18 need at least 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day.
Adults ages 19 to 50 need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day.
Women over age 50 and men over age seventy need at least 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day.

Adequate intake of Calcium is linked to reduced risk of osteoporosis through the mechanism of slowing the rate of bone loss for individuals with a family history of the disease, post-menopausal women, and elderly men and women. Adequate Calcium used as part of a healthy diet, along with physical activity, may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. If you are not or cannot consume enough calcium each day, you may want to consider a calcium supplement.

Vitamins for Bone Health

Although calcium is vital, it’s not the only nutrient that’s important in maintaining healthy bones. Vitamin D, potassium, fluoride and magnesium are all important contributors as well. Bones are made by laying down a base of collagen and other proteins, which are then filled in with mineral crystals like calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. This action is directly driven by the presence of enough Vitamin K. Osteocalcin, which cannot become sticky due to lack of Vitamin K, may be a major factor in bone breaks and fractures.

Read, ‘Vitamin K: A Powerhouse Nutrient’, By Nicole Crane, B.S., NTP

If you’re lactose intolerant, choose options that will still give you these benefits. There are also plenty of nutrient-dense foods and supplements to choose from. So don’t let the osteoporosis creep up on you – include the whole family with snacks and meals that keep bones healthy and strong over time.