How to build strong bones without calcium confusion
“That’s life,” crooned Frank Sinatra, “... riding high in April, shot down in May.” And even though the song isn’t about calcium, it could have been with all the crazy ups and downs that this bone-building mineral has suffered in the news lately.
In two recent studies, people who got an extra dose of calcium from food or pills didn’t prevent fractures. Some media reports twisted the message, with headlines like “Calcium from Supplements or Dairy Doesn’t Strengthen Bones.” So here’s the big picture on making sure you get enough calcium absorption and other smart steps to protect your bones.
The two studies that triggered the confusing headlines looked at 59 bone density studies involving 13,790 people over age 50 and at fractures in more than 45,000 people. Bumping up calcium intake increased bone density slightly in some and reduced breaks in others, but the researchers say the benefits were very small and boosted the risk for kidney stones for some.
That’s bad news if you’ve been counting on calcium alone to make sure you’re not among the one in four women and one in 20 men in North America with thinning bones. The truth is, bone and calcium are just part of the story. Calcium helps with blood pressure regulation, muscle function and hormone production; if you don’t have enough, your body borrows from the 99 per cent stored in your skeleton. But strong bones need more than one mineral to stay tough.
Follow these five steps for allround healthy bones, but don’t cross dairy, dairy alternatives or supplements off your shopping list.
Add D. Aim for 1,000 IU daily of vitamin D-3, also known as cholecalciferol. It helps your body absorb and use calcium. Check your level, and make sure it’s over 30. We aim for 50 to 80.
Don’t overdo calcium supplements. Start by looking at how much you get from food daily; every dairy serving provides around 300 mg; fortified cereals and juices double that. Whole-grain bread (or bread alternatives) and green, leafy veggies (half-cup of cooked spinach) deliver 60-120 mg per serving, too. Most women get about 625 mg a day from food, men about 810 mg. Aim for: 1,000 mg a day (from food) for women under age 51 and men under age 71; 1,200 mg a day from food after that. Fill in up to 600 mg you’re missing in your diet with a supplement. Don’t overdo it. Too much won’t help your bones and can raise kidney stone (and possibly prostate and breast cancer) risk.
Avoid bone-robbers. Smoking, an overload of sodium, too much alcohol, cola and even caffeinated coffee can increase your risk for osteoporosis by robbing calcium from your body. Stick with one alcoholic drink a day for women, two for men. Say no to soda, fast food, canned soup and jarred spaghetti sauce (read labels). Swedish scientists found having four cups of coffee a day could increase risk for brittle-bone breaks by a whopping 20 per cent. But adding 20 mg of calcium from food to your diet for each cup (about a tablespoon of skim milk in a cuppa coffee) erases the risk.
Hit your protein target. Getting enough helps keep muscles and bones strong. Older adults need at least 20-25 grams at every meal. Get yours from nonfat Greek yogurt; 3 ounces of fish or skinless chicken breast; a cup of red, black or navy beans; or a fresh-ground peanut butter sandwich on wholegrain bread.
Stimulate bones with exercise. Like a never-ending highway repair project, cells inside your bones are constantly rebuilding the tough, microscopic structures that keep them strong. Good stress and weight-bearing exercises like walking or running up and down hills is great.