Better Health & Living
Strong Bones for the Whole Family
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Skimping on dairy products isn’t the only threat to healthy bones. New research shows that dieting, low vitamin D, and being an older guy or a teenage girl all put the density of your skeleton at risk. Why it matters: Low bone mass raises the risk of life-threatening fractures later in life, yet a new survey from the National Osteoporosis Foundation finds that 80 percent of us don’t even understand the connection.
“The bottom line is that you need plenty of calcium throughout your life for good bone density,” says bone researcher Sue A. Shapses, RD, PhD, an associate professor of nutrition at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. “But that’s not the whole story. You need weight-bearing exercise and a mix of other important nutrients, too--especially if you’re trying to lose weight.”
Here’s what you need to know to keep your whole family’s bones healthy and strong.
My children won’t drink milk. How can I be sure they’re getting enough calcium to build strong bones?
That’s an important question. Between the ages of 4 and 8, kids need about 800 milligrams of calcium a day--the amount in three glasses of milk. But from 9 to 18, they need 1,300 milligrams a day. These are peak bone-building years, when the body absorbs calcium readily. Dairy products are a great source of calcium as well as vitamin D, magnesium, phosphorus, and other nutrients your body needs in order to use calcium to build bone. You could try serving cheese--a one-ounce slice has about 200 milligrams of calcium. Low-fat yogurt (about 300 milligrams per cup) and low-fat chocolate milk or cocoa made with low-fat milk are good as treats, or serve pudding made with low-fat milk for dessert. You can also take advantage of calcium-fortified foods, such as orange juice. which has 300 milligrams per cup, and some breakfast cereals.
Is it true that you can have healthy bones even if you don’t drink milk?
Our bones do need calcium, but that’s not all. They also need weight-bearing exercise, such as walking or running, and exercise that makes our muscles tug on our bones, such as strength-training exercises, to stimulate bone to remain dense. And we need other nutrients for building bone.
Does all of your daily calcium have to come from dairy products?
No. But milk contains a hefty dose of calcium plus the combination of other nutrients your bones need. You can get some calcium from canned fish with bones (such as salmon), green leafy vegetables, broccoli, and almonds, but it would be difficult for an adult to reach the recommended 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day that way. Fortified foods and supplements can help. In addition to calcium, adults need 800 to 1,000 IU of vitamin D3 (also called cholecalciferol) per day plus about 400 milligrams of magnesium, 700 milligrams of phosphorus, and 4,700 milligrams of potassium.
Is it okay to get all of my calcium from supplements?
A surprising variety of foods contain small amounts of calcium, so even if you aren’t trying to get this mineral from food, you’re probably getting some anyway. Supplements are good for days when you can’t reach your calcium goals, but studies show that food is a better source. In one study, women who got most of their calcium from pills had lower bone mineral density than those who relied on food. But women who ate a high-calcium diet and added supplements to fill gaps had the highest bone density of all. If you do take a calcium supplement, don’t take more than 500 milligrams at once--your body can’t absorb much more than that at one time. For best absorption, take calcium carbonate with meals; calcium citrate can be taken at any time.
Does dieting affect bone density?
After menopause, weight loss can reduce bone density--usually if you lose more than 10 percent of your body weight (such as 17 pounds or more if you now weigh 170). You can counteract this by making sure you eat lean protein, get 1,200 to 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day while you’re dieting, and do strength-training and weight-bearing exercises to keep bone strong. After age 70 to 75, when fracture risk is much higher, weight loss may have a greater effect on bones. The exception: Women and men taking osteoporosis drugs can lose weight without worrying about bone loss.
Do men get osteoporosis, too?
Yes. About one in eight men over age 50 will have osteoporosis-related bone fractures as they grow older. Smoking cigarettes, drinking more than a moderate amount of alcohol (about two drinks a day for most men), and not exercising raise the risk. So do some prostate cancer treatments, steroids, and anti-seizure drugs. A man should have his bone mineral density tested starting at age 70, or sooner if he’s had a bone fracture, is losing height, or has unexplained back pain.
By Susan Flagg Godbey and the editors of Better Health & Living®
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