> Taking
calcium for osteoporosis
About age 30, men and women begin to slowly lose bone mass. A diet
rich in calcium helps bring strong bones and is an essential part
of prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Calcium is found in
many foods, including dairy products such as milk or yogurt. If
one does not get enough calcium from the foods he eat, he may
choose to take calcium supplements.
If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, you should take calcium
and Vitamin D supplements in addition to any other medication
prescribed by your doctor.
Why is calcium used to treat or prevent osteoporosis?
Calcium, combined with Vitamin D and phosphorus, maintains or
helps reduce the rate of bone loss that occurs with osteoporosis.
Vitamin D must be taken with calcium in order for the calcium to
be properly absorbed into your body. You need 400 IU of vitamin D
per day if you are an adult. If you are over the age of 61 years,
you may need up to 800 IU per day of Vitamin D. You can get enough
vitamin D through 10-15 minutes per day of sun exposure a few days
a week. You can also get Vitamin D in foods such as egg yolk,
liver of saltwater fish, and Vitamin D-fortified dairy products.
If you do not eat these foods or do not get sun exposure, taking a
Vitamin D supplement along with your calcium can help strengthen
your bones.
How can you get enough calcium in your daily diet?
Many foods contain high amounts of calcium. If you eat 3-4
servings of these foods per day, you should be getting enough
calcium in your diet to help prevent osteoporosis. The following
shows foods that are rich in calcium
Food Serving
size
Calcium (mg) per serving
Sardines in oil
3oz
370
Milk(whole,skim)
1 cup
290-300
Cheese
1 oz
250-270
Canned Salmon
(with bones)
3 oz
170-210
Broccoli
1 cup
100-125
Ice cream
1/2 cup
90-100
Cottage cheese
1/2 cup
80-100
Egg
155
What is the recommended daily amount of calcium?
The recommended daily calcium intake is:
Age
Recommended calcium intake (ing/day)
1-3
500
4-8
800
9-18
300
19-50
1,200
Older than 50
1,200
Women over 65 years old or older than 51 who don’t take estrogen
replacement therapy may need more calcium 1,500. Pregnant or
nursing women need the same as other women their age 1,000-1,200.
Most people do not get enough calcium through diet alone. You need
to eat 3-4 servings per day of foods high in calcium to get the
recommended daily amount.
