By the age of 30, both men and women experience the loss of minerals from their bones, which leads to bone loss. Initially, men are less affected. However, by the time they reach their mid-70s, both men and women are equally at risk for osteoporosis, a disease that causes bones to become thinner, weaker, and more likely to break.
Calcium in your daily diet works to slow bone loss, potentially staving off osteoporosis. The National Academy of Sciences and the National Osteoporosis Foundation recommend that adults consume 1,000 to 1,300 milligrams of calcium each day. Adolescents (ages 9-18) should be consuming 1,300 mg/day of calcium, which will decrease to 1,000 mg/day for adults, then rise again to 1,200 mg/day for people aged 51 and older.
Dairy products are the best form of calcium, but research has shown that consuming this much calcium on a routine basis is a tremendous challenge for most Americans, who don?t get enough calcium in their diets from dairy alone. If milk is the sole source of calcium in your diet, you should drink 3? to 4? cups of milk daily. Fortunately, calcium-fortified foods and calcium supplements can help you meet your target, but remember the amount needed from the supplement depends on how much calcium you?re getting from the foods you eat.
Vitamin D is another key to minimizing bone loss. Vitamin D helps maintain bone strength by helping the body absorb calcium. These two nutrients must work together: Once calcium is absorbed, it fills in empty spaces in the bones to keep them strong. But calcium alone will not maintain bone if not enough vitamin D is consumed.
Vitamin D can be found in milk, egg yolks, and some types of fish. Your body also makes its own vitamin D when skin is exposed to the sun. To get more calcium and vitamin D:
- Choose items fortified with calcium
- Consume more milk, cheese, yogurt, and green vegetables
- Cook up side dishes higher in calcium, such as spinach and broccoli
- Spend more time outdoors
