We all know this, but...

We all know that calcium is crucial for strong bones and teeth. But are we getting enough? According to the USDA, 90% of women and 60% of men fail to consume the appropriate amounts of calcium for proper bone health. Here are the breakdowns of how much we need: Adults aged 25-50 years old should consume 1,000mg per day. Adults over 65 years should increase to 1.500mg per day. Calcium requirements are higher for adolescents, children, and senior citizens. Women who are breast feeding, pregnant, or in menopause need more as well. Obviously the best sources of calcium are in dairy products. A glass (8oz) of non-fat milk contains 300mg of calcium. Some even have additional Vitamin D added as well. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.

What is calcium?

Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the human body, has several important functions. More than 99% of total body calcium is stored in the bones and teeth where it functions to support their structure. The remaining 1% is found throughout the body in blood, muscle, and the fluid between cells. Calcium is needed for muscle contraction, blood vessel contraction and expansion, the secretion of hormones and enzymes, and sending messages through the nervous system. A constant level of calcium is maintained in body fluid and tissues so that these vital body processes function efficiently. Bone undergoes continuous remodeling, with constant resorption (breakdown of bone) and deposition of calcium into newly deposited bone (bone formation). The balance between bone resorption and deposition changes as people age. During childhood there is a higher amount of bone formation and less breakdown. In early and middle adulthood, these processes are relatively equal. In aging adults, particularly among postmenopausal women, bone breakdown exceeds its formation, resulting in bone loss, which increases the risk for osteoporosis (a disorder characterized by porous, weak bones). -www.http://dietary-supplements.info.nih.gov

low calcium predicts bone loss in prostate cancer

By Amy Norton
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Men who are about to undergo hormone-suppressing therapy for prostate cancer may want to bump up their levels of calcium, a new study suggests.
Researchers found that more than half of the 372 men in their study who underwent androgen-deprivation therapy developed the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis. Those with a low calcium intake appeared to be at particular risk, the study authors report in the journal BJU International.
Suppressing testosterone and other androgen hormones helps control the growth and spread of prostate tumors. But it also causes a drop in bone density, which means that osteoporosis is a common side effect of the therapy.
However, the new findings highlight how important adequate calcium levels are for preventing this risk, according to the researchers. The results suggest that men on androgen deprivation therapy should be sure to get at least 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day, lead study author Dr. Jacques Planas told Reuters Health.
Other bone-protecting measures, like getting adequate vitamin D and not smoking, are also recommended, according to Planas and his colleagues at Autonoma University School of Medicine in Barcelona.
The findings are based on bone density measurements from men with prostate cancer that had not spread to the bone. Of the 266 men undergoing hormonal therapy, 55 percent had osteoporosis. In addition, a surprisingly high 35 percent of 106 men treated with surgery also had the bone disease.
Overall, the average calcium intake was lower among men with osteoporosis, at 610 mg per day, versus 683 mg for men without the disease. When Planas and his colleagues considered other factors, like the men's age, calcium intake turned out to be an independent predictor of osteoporosis risk.
It's not clear why men undergoing surgery had such a high rate of osteoporosis, said Planas. "We are studying if prostate cancer itself may be responsible, secreting different molecules which may have an influence on bone mineral density," he said.
But while calcium and vitamin D supplements might be important for men undergoing androgen-deprivation therapy, they should not necessarily bump up their intake of dairy products, which are a source of saturated fat, according to an editorial published with the report.
One large study of prostate cancer patients found that those with the highest fat intake were three times more likely to die over 5 years than those with the lowest fat consumption, notes Dr. Nigel J. Parr of the Wirral Trust Hospital in the UK.
His own research, Parr has found evidence that a very low-fat diet might help slow the progression of prostate cancer.
"Thus," he writes, "caution should be adopted before advocating an increase in dairy (foods) in patients with prostate cancer."
SOURCE: BJU International, April 2007.

Younger women don't lose bone during weight loss

By Martha Kerr
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Unlike postmenopausal women, premenopausal women who are overweight and lose weight do not put themselves at risk for osteoporosis, a bone-thinning disease, if they are getting enough calcium, researchers report in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Dr. Sue A. Shapses of Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, and colleagues studied 44 overweight premenopausal women who were an average of 38 years old and had an average body mass index of 27.7. A body mass index, which is the ratio between weight and height, higher than 25.0 is classified as overweight.
Women were randomly assigned to a normal calcium diet (1 gram daily) or a high calcium diet (1.8 gram daily) during six months of weight loss, or to 1 gram of calcium daily during six months of weight maintenance. Bone mineral density (BMD) and other indications of bone loss were measured periodically during the study period.
The two weight loss groups lost an average of 7.2 percent of body weight. There was no decrease in BMD or increase in bone turnover with either the normal- or high-calcium diet.
The high-calcium group showed a trend towards increased density of the hip bone and increased levels of serum 25-hydroxy vitamin D, an indicator of vitamin D levels.
The total amount of calcium absorbed was adequate in subjects who had normal or high levels of calcium each day, and the amount of calcium absorbed was unchanged by weight loss.
"If young healthy women consume their recommended levels of calcium and consume a multivitamin that includes vitamin D, there is no reason that they can expect to lose bone, even during a weight loss diet (it will be primarily fat tissue), if it is a healthy weight loss," Shapses commented to Reuters Health. "They should not worry that they are putting themselves at risk for osteoporosis."
"We believe the reason for no bone loss is that the high levels of estrogen prior to menopause not only protect bones during weight stable conditions, but also during weight loss, unlike postmenopausal women where we see a decline in their already low levels of estrogen with weight loss, and a decrease in calcium absorption," Shapses explained.
More calcium is recommended for postmenopausal women -- about 1.5 to 1.7 grams per day, along with about 400 IU day of vitamin D, she advised.
SOURCE: Journal of Clinical Nutrition, April 2007.

Calcium calculator

Are you making the calcium connection?Fill in the number of servings you get from each of these foods over one day. The calculator will automatically multiply the total servings in each group by the milligrams of calcium in each serving. Then it will add up the final numbers to give you your day’s total calcium intake.
use the calculator here.

How much is enough?

You need different amounts of calcium at different times of your life. The handy chart will give you an idea of what you need now. If you are at high risk for osteoporosis, you may need 1500 milligrams of calcium a day, regardless of the category you fall in.

Calcium needs are listed in milligrams (mg).

Infants, Children, Young Adults
Per Day
Infants (Up to 6 Months)
400 mg
Infants (6-12 Months)
600 mg
Children (1-10 Years)
800-1,200 mg
Adolescents, Teens, Young Adults (11-24 Years)
1,200-1,500 mg

Women
Per Day
Adults (25-50 Years)
1,000 mg
Pregnant and Nursing Women
1,200-1,500 mg
Postmenopausal Women on HRT*
1,000 mg
Postmenopausal Women Not on HRT*
1,500 mg
Postmenopausal Women over 65
1,500 mg

Men
Per Day
Adults (25-65 Years)
1,000 mg
Adults over 65
1,500 mg* Hormone Replacement Therapy
Source: NIH guidelines
These calcium recommendations include calcium from both your diet and supplements. The calcium from supplements is absorbed just as well as the calcium from food. For postmenopausal women, even extra calcium may not be enough to prevent osteoporosis. Usually some type of medication, such as hormone replacement therapy, becomes necessary.

Is there such a thing as too much calcium?

How much is too much calcium? Around 1,500 milligrams (mg) per day is all your body really needs, if you are at high risk for osteoporosis. Getting as much as 2,200 mg has been shown to be relatively safe. The safe upper limit for calcium is 2,500 mg per day.
Excessively high amounts of dietary calcium and/or supplements can increase the risk of kidney stones. However, many studies show that normal amounts of dietary calcium may lower the risk of kidney stones.
Some people get more than they need by overdoing calcium and vitamin D supplements, which can boost calcium levels higher than your body can handle. You are not likely to get too much calcium just from food.
source- toneyourbones.com

Calcium Supplements- Tips

There is much debate over which type of calcium supplement, calcium carbonate or calcium citrate, is absorbed the best. Use the tips to help make your choice easier. Your doctor will also help you make your decision.
Take no more than 500-600 milligrams (mg) of calcium at one time. Once calcium intake gets higher than that, absorption begins to decrease. Consider how much you are getting with your food. If you eat a high calcium breakfast, such as cereal with milk or calcium-fortified orange juice, you may want to save your calcium supplement for later.
Both calcium citrate and calcium carbonate are absorbed well.
Calcium carbonate requires stomach acid for adequate absorption. Take calcium carbonate with food, because the stomach produces acid when you eat.
Because calcium citrate does not require stomach acid for adequate absorption, it can be taken without food.
Take calcium citrate if you are taking a strong prescription antacid, like Nexium, Prilosec, or Axid.
If you are taking an iron supplement, you should take calcium citrate.

How to read food labels..great trick!

Very useful information! It's unbelievable that some things that we see every day are still a mystery to some of us.
By reading nutrition labels, you can figure out how much calcium is in the foods you eat. Nutrition labels show a “percent daily value” or daily need for calcium. The daily value used for these labels is 1,000 milligrams, the daily recommendation for many adults. However, if you need 1500 mg of calcium per day, the percent daily value for calcium will underestimate the percent of your daily need.
You can change the percentage of calcium into milligrams easily. Simply remove the percent sign and add a zero to the percent daily value. So if a food label says one serving has calcium at 20 percent, it has 200 mg of calcium. Remember to check the serving size on the top of the label and adjust the number to your serving size.
Note: Remember, this trick only works for the calcium percent daily value and not any of the other nutrients. source: toneyourbones.org

bone-building food

The following lists introduce you to the best bone-building foods. The lists have been split into six different groups according to the amount of calcium per serving each food contains.

The foods in group 1 contain 400 mg of calcium per serving.
8 ounces of yogurt without added fruit 1/2 cup evaporated skim milk1/2 cup dry milk powder

The foods in group 2 contain 300 mg of calcium per serving.
8 ounces of milk (any kind)8 ounces of fruited yogurt8 ounces of fortified orange juice1/4 cup parmesan cheese1 ounce Swiss or Gruyere cheese1/4 cup part-skim ricotta cheese1/2 cup calcium treated tofu3 ounces canned sardines with bones

The foods in group 3 contain 200 mg of calcium per serving.
1 ounce natural cheese

The foods in group 4 contain 150 mg of calcium per serving.
1 packet of instant oatmeal1/2 cup pudding, yogurt, or flan1/2 cup cooked collards3 ounces pink canned salmon with bones

The foods in group 5 contain 100 mg of calcium per serving.
1 ounce nonfat cream cheese 1/2 cup turnip greens, bok choy 1 ounce almonds 1/2 cup ice cream, ice milk, frozen yogurt 1/2 cup white beans1 serving of most calcium-fortified cereals (amounts vary from brand to brand)

The foods in group 6 contain 50 mg of calcium per serving.
1/2 cup broccoli 1/2 cup kale, mustard greens 1/2 cup most dried beans 1/2 cup cottage cheese 1 medium corn tortilla 1 medium orange 1 tablespoon dry milk(You can add dry milk to oatmeal, soups, macaroni and cheese, and anything else that it blends well with for an extra calcium boost.)

Why is calcium important

When it comes to preventing osteoporosis, calcium is crucial. Why? Simply put, calcium builds bones. Numerous studies have shown that calcium supplementation is one part of bone health.
In addition, your body’s need for calcium actually increases as you get older. Your bones may reach maximum strength and density around age 30, but as you age, your body absorbs calcium from your diet at a lower rate. You need to eat foods high in calcium to make up for this lower absorption and to help maintain the bone strength you gained when you were younger.
Unfortunately, most Americans get less than half of their calcium needs every day. And that not only impacts your bones, but the rest of your body as well. Studies have shown that calcium may also help lower high blood pressure and control weight.

Risk Checklist

Risk factors are habits or characteristics that make you more likely to get osteoporosis. Some risk factors are controllable, others aren’t.
Check the box next to each risk factor that applies to you. The more checks you have, the greater your risk of developing osteoporosis. But remember, risk factors only give you some indication of whether you might have osteoporosis. You could have few risk factors and still have osteoporosis.

I am a post-menopausal woman.
My eating pattern is low in bone protective foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt.
As a child, I ate very few high-calcium foods.
I am or was a smoker.
I do not regularly participate in bone-building exercises like walking, dance aerobics, weight training, or jogging.
I am a moderate to heavy drinker (more than one drink a day on average for women; more than two for men).
I have or have had an eating disorder such as bulimia or anorexia.
I am a woman.
I have a small, thin frame.
A parent, grandparent, or sibling of mine had or has osteoporosis.
I went through menopause before age 50.
I have been through menopause and am not taking hormones.
I am taking or have taken corticosteroids (like Prednisone), antiseizure medications (like Dilantin), or excessive amounts of thyroid medication (like Synthroid).