Osteoporosis is the most common disease related to the body’s need for calcium and vitamin D, and it affects millions of women and some men. Osteoporosis is characterized by thinning of bone tissue. One out of every two women is at risk for developing bone fractures after menopause due to osteoporosis; those who are fair-skinned and blond, petite and small boned, underweight or have experienced anorexia nervosa, lactose intolerant, or sedentary. Smoking, alcohol use, and caffeine intake increase osteoporosis risk.
Calcium and vitamin D intake, estrogen replacement therapy, and weight bearing exercise may all help slow loss of bone as women enter menopause, but the best way to prevent osteoporosis is to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods beginning in childhood and continuing throughout life.
The more calcium put into bones, the more there is to draw from. Calcium is continuously being taken out of skeletal tissues for different bodily functions and must be replaced daily from foods. Research has shown that from about age 11 to 16 years, more calcium is stored than at any other one time.
Even when peak bone mass occurs around the age of 30, it is important to consume adequate calcium to maintain bone mass until menopause or about 50, when more calcium begins to be taken out of bones than can be put back in. After age 50, calcium is needed to help reduce bone loss and prevent osteoporosis.
Vitamin Sun
Calcium from foods must be absorbed by the body with the help of vitamin D. Vitamin D in the diet of many Americans may be lower than previously thought. Consumption of whole dairy products, organ meats and egg yolks has declined in recent years. Because we avoid sunlight to prevent skin damage and cancer, the sun, one of our natural sources of vitamin D, doesn’t benefit us as it might.
Africans and other dark-skinned people, the elderly or homebound, people living in northern latitudes, and women who wear extensive coverings are at increased risk. Although fat-dairy products are fortified with vitamin D, most Americans simply do not get enough.
Because vitamin D deficiency can increase risk of osteoporosis, several kinds of cancer, and other disorders, the recommended intakes of vitamin D are being reviewed. Some studies have shown that moderate sun exposure (without getting sunburned, of course) may be more of a benefit than a risk because it increases levels of vitamin D. Lack of sufficient sunlight for the skin to produce vitamin D from cholesterol made in our liver may also be one cause of high blood cholesterol in some people.
The American Academy of Dermatology suggests that, regardless of skin type, a broad-spectrum sunscreen (protects against UVA and UVB rays) with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 should be used year-round. Sunscreens should be used every day if you are going to be in the sun for more than 20 minutes. However, in order to get enough sunlight to produce vitamin D, some studies suggest that an average of 15 minutes a day without sunscreen in the noonday sun is all that most people need. Then put sunscreen back on!
Increased fortification of foods with vitamin D may also be recommended. In the meantime, if you are at risk or suffer from osteoporosis, diabetes, arthritis, infertility, depression, autoimmune disorders, diabetes, or breast, prostate, colon, or skin cancers, you may want to request a laboratory examination to determine your vitamin D level.
Inadequate intake of calcium is usually a result of eating too few servings of dairy products or low intake of other sources of calcium like homemade broth, greens, canned fish with bones (salmon or sardines), or legumes.
Where to find calcium
The Dietary Reference Intakes from the National Academy of Science recommends anywhere from 1,000 to 1,300 mg of calcium a day for adolescents and adults depending on age and sex. Most people can get adequate calcium from three to four servings of low-fat dairy products and calcium fortified foods. Post-menopausal women not on hormone replacement therapy would need to eat one more serving a day.
One serving of milk or buttermilk (an 8 oz. glass) has 300 milligrams of calcium. You can count these foods as equivalent: 1 cup yogurt, 2 ounces of most cheeses, 3 ounces of canned sardines or pink salmon with bones, 1 cup of tofu, and 8 ounces of calcium-fortified orange juice. Dark green leafy vegetables, broth from bones (chicken, meat or fish), dried fruits like figs, dried beans, nuts and seeds also contain good amounts of calcium. Homemade broth or stock from chicken or other meat with bones is a rich source of calcium from the bone marrow.
To learn how to make homemade broth or stock, ask your grandmother or consult a classic reference like The Fannie Farmer Cookbook by Marion Cunningham. Whole foods that are rich in calcium are usually also good sources of magnesium and phosphorus, which are important minerals related to bone health and osteoporosis.
