Guest author Gwen Hawn, FACS Agent, UGA Extension Hall County
Bones issues are problems we think about when we are older, but our bone health is very important for every age! In childhood and young adult years, we deposit calcium in our bones to achieve the greatest stores possible. This is known as peak bone mass (PBM). In our late teens to early 20’s we reach our PBM. What has been deposited in our bones is what we have to support our bones throughout our lives. Any time after that age, if we don’t have adequate calcium in our diets, our bodies withdraw calcium from our bones which can lead to our bones becoming frail and weakened. Bones that are less dense are more susceptible to breaking. After our early 20’s, our bones become like a one-way bank account. We can no longer add calcium to them, but calcium can be removed from them when we do not have enough in our diets. Calcium is needed in our body for bone health, blood to clot, muscles to contract and our heart to beat. Our body cannot make calcium, the only way for us to maintain the density in our bones is to have adequate calcium in our diets. The minimum amount of daily calcium needs varies:
- Children 1 to 3 700 milligrams of calcium a day.
- Children 4 to 8 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day.
- Children 9 to 18 1,300 milligrams of calcium a day.
- Adults 19 to 50 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day.
- Women over age 50 and men over age 71 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day.
For our bodies to absorb calcium, we must also have adequate vitamin D present in our body. Individuals under the age of 50 need 400-800 international units (IU) daily. Adults over the age of 51 need 800-1000 international units (IU) daily.
The best way to achieve adequate calcium and vitamin D is through your diet. Healthy foods high in calcium include low-fat milk, yogurt, cheese, fortified Almond milk, fortified juices, tofu prepared with calcium, soybeans, salmon and sardines canned with bones, collard greens, broccoli, and dried figs. Vitamin D is not naturally found in many foods, but several foods are fortified with it including most dairy products, some juices, and cereals. A few natural sources of vitamin D are wild-caught mackerel, salmon, and tuna.
Two organizations you can look for additional, reputable information include:
- The Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation (BHOF): BoneHealthandOsteoporosis
- Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Understanding Osteoporosis
Eating a healthy diet has many benefits and is essential to avoiding such conditions as osteoporosis and osteopenia. Starting in childhood and through every age, it is important to eat foods high in calcium. Remember, past your early 20’s, you can no longer add density to your bones and any time that you don’t have enough calcium in your diet you lose calcium out of your bones that you cannot replace!