The foods we eat contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other important nutrients that help keep the body healthy. To have strong bones you need two nutrients in particular: calcium and vitamin D.
- The importance of calcium
- Calcium deficiency
- Calcium supplements
- Vitamin D
- A complete regimen to combat osteoporosis
- For your information
Nature's Wonder Vitamin D3 5000 IU (125mcg) Soft Gels, 365 Count
The importance of calcium
Calcium is necessary for the heart, muscles and nerves to work properly, and also for the blood to clot. Insufficient calcium contributes considerably to the development of osteoporosis. Many studies have been published that indicate that inadequate calcium intake throughout life is related to a decrease in bone density and a high rate of fractures. National nutrition surveys reveal that most people do not take enough calcium to grow their bones and stay healthy. It is recommended that you consult the attached chart titled "Daily requirement of calcium intake" to see how much calcium you need.
Daily requirement for calcium consumption Age group or stage of life Calcium (mg / day)
Source: The Nutrition and Food Committee, Institute of Medicine, National Academy of Sciences, 2010.
- Babies from 0 to 6 months 200
- Babies from 6 to 12 months 260
- 1 to 3 years 700
- 4 to 8 years 1,000
- 9 to 13 years 1,300
- 14 to 18 years 1,300
- 19 to 30 years 1,000
- 31 to 50 years 1,000
- 51 to 70 years, men 1,000
- 51 to 70 years, women 1,200
- More than 70 years 1,200
- 14 to 18 years old, pregnant / breastfeeding 1,300
- 19 to 50 years old, pregnant / breastfeeding 1,000
To find out how you can easily incorporate more calcium into your diet without greatly increasing your fat intake, see the following list of calcium-rich foods.
Selection of calcium-rich foods Food Calcium (mg)
Source: Surgeon General's 2004 report on bone health and osteoporosis: what it means to you . Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, 2004, pages 12-13.
- Enriched oatmeal, 1 pack 350
- Sardines, canned in oil, with edible spines, 3 oz (85 g) 324
- Cheddar cheese, 1½ oz (42 g), striped 306
- Milk, skim, 1 cup 302
- Milk shake, 1 cup 300
- Yogurt, natural, non-fat, 1 cup 300
- Soybeans, cooked, 1 cup 261
- Tofu, firm, with calcium, ½ cup 204
- Orange juice, enriched with calcium, 6 oz (170 g) 200-260 (varies)
- Salmon, canned, with edible spines, 3 oz (85 g) 181
- Pudding, instant (chocolate, banana, etc.), made with 2% milk, ½ cup 153
- Cooked beans, 1 cup 142
- Fresh cheese (cottage), 1% fat, 1 cup 138
- Noodles, lasagna, 1 cup 125
- Soft ice cream of yogurt, vanilla, ½ cup 103
- Ready-to-eat cereal, enriched with calcium, 1 cup 100-1000 (varies)
- Cheese pizza, 1 serving 100
- Enriched waffles, 2 100
- Turnip, boiled, ½ cup 99
- Broccoli, raw, 1 cup 90
- Ice cream, vanilla, ½ cup 85
- Soy or rice milk, enriched with calcium, 1 cup 80-500 (varies)
Calcium deficiency
Although a balanced diet helps to absorb calcium, it is thought that the increase in protein and sodium (salt) levels in the diet causes the kidneys to eliminate more calcium. For this reason, excessive ingestion of these substances should be avoided, especially in those people who consume little calcium.
Lactose intolerance can also result in inadequate consumption of calcium. People who can not tolerate lactose do not have a sufficient amount of the enzyme lactase, which is necessary for the decomposition of lactose found in dairy products. To include dairy products in the diet, you can: consume these foods in small amounts, add drops of lactase or take the lactase in the form of a pill. There are also some dairy products on the market to which lactase has already been added.
Calcium supplements
If you find it difficult to consume enough calcium in your diet, you may need to take a calcium supplement. The amount of calcium that you will need from a supplement depends on how much calcium you get from your food. There are multiple calcium compounds on the market, such as, for example, calcium carbonate and calcium citrate, among others. All commonly used calcium supplements have good absorption when ingested with food, with the exception of people who have intestinal disorders.
Calcium supplements are best absorbed when taken in small doses (500 mg or less) several times a day. Many people absorb them better when they are taken with food. It is important to carefully read the labels of calcium supplements to verify that the product follows the standards established by the Pharmacopoeia of the United States of America (USP, for its acronym in English).
Vitamin D
The body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D, we can not produce enough of the hormone calcitriol (known as "active vitamin D"), which causes not enough calcium to be absorbed from food. When this happens, the body is forced to mobilize the reserves of calcium deposited in the skeleton, which weakens the existing bone and prevents the formation and strengthening of new and strong bone.
Vitamin D can be obtained in three ways: through the skin, with the ingestion of certain foods and through supplements. Vitamin D occurs naturally in the body after exposure to sunlight. Experts recommend a daily consumption of 600 International Units (IU) of vitamin D for people up to 70 years of age. Men and women over 70 years of age should increase their daily intake of vitamin D to 800 IU, which can also be obtained from supplements or foods rich in vitamin D, such as egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver and the enriched milk. The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults do not take more than 4,000 IU per day. However, in some cases where there is a deficiency of this vitamin, doctors may prescribe a higher dose.
A complete regimen to combat osteoporosis
Remember that a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D is only part of the regimen for the prevention or treatment of osteoporosis. Just like physical exercise, sufficient calcium intake is a measure that helps strengthen bones at any age. But these measures may not be enough to stop the loss of bone caused by lifestyle, the consumption of certain medications and menopause. The doctor can determine if, in addition to having an adequate diet and establishing a physical exercise program, you need some medication to reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
The National Information Center on Osteoporosis and Bone Diseases of the National Institutes of Health thanks the help of the National Osteoporosis Foundation in the preparation of this publication.
For your information
In this publication you can find information about the medicines that are used to treat the disease mentioned here. We have provided the most up-to-date information available at the time of its development. It is possible that more information about these medications has emerged since then.
To get the most up-to-date information or to ask questions about any of the medications you are taking, call the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for free to the United States.