Fight Osteoporosis with calcium and vitamin D

Practicing good nutrition, including the recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D, is one of two important steps you can take to prevent osteoporosis. Physical activity that helps build your bones is the other step.

Calcium is one of the minerals we need for healthy bones. Our bodies don't produce calcium, so we need to get it through the foods we eat.
We also need vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium.

Many young women aren't getting enough calcium to help protect their bones in the future. In Massachusetts, one study found that more than 6 in 10 young women (age 19-24) did not get the recommended amount of calcium each day (MA Department of Public Health). For teen girls, even fewer get enough calcium (NIH consensus statement). You can learn more about how much calcium you're getting by knowing the calcium content of the foods you eat, or by using the calcium calculator.

Finding high-calcium foods and making them part of your daily diet is not difficult - there's a lot of variety, and now many foods are fortified with calcium (which means calcium is added to the food). You can find high-calcium foods at the grocery store, convenience store, and restaurants (even fast food!). It's a matter of knowing some calcium-rich foods that you like, or looking for the calcium content on a food's Nutrition Facts Label.

Calcium-rich foods include dairy foods, certain green vegetables, soy-based foods (like tofu and soy milk), and calcium-fortified foods like orange juice, energy bars, and even hot cocoa! For example, to get the recommended amount of calcium in one day (1000 mg), a 22-year old woman could eat:

• Calcium-fortified orange juice with breakfast (6 oz): 200 mg
• Low-fat flavored yogurt for a snack (8 oz.): 300 mg
• Cheese pizza for lunch (1 slice): 117 mg
• Energy bar for a snack: 350 mg
• Broccoli with dinner (frozen, ½ cup): 47 mg
  
  (1014 mg total)

Supplements
It's best to get calcium through foods. But if you have trouble getting enough calcium through the foods you eat and are considering taking a calcium supplement, talk with a registered dietitian, doctor, or nurse first.

The type of calcium that is in supplements can vary - it's important to look for the "elemental calcium," which tells you exactly how much calcium is in the supplement. Some helpful hints:

• Stick to reliable brand names
• Avoid calcium from bone meal, dolomite, or unrefined oyster shell
• Look for "USP" on the label - this means the supplement has met certain quality standards
• Take no more than 500 mg of calcium at once - this is the most that your body can absorb at one time
• Take a supplement with a meal

Click here for more information on calcium supplements

Lactose intolerant?
Some people have "lactose intolerance," which means it's difficult for them to digest some dairy foods. Lactose is the sugar in dairy foods and people who are lactose intolerant cannot break this sugar down in their bodies. This can cause stomach aches, gas, and diarrhea. Talk with a doctor or nurse if you think you might be lactose intolerant, and try some of these calcium-rich tips:

• Eat small amounts of dairy foods
• Eat dairy foods with a meal
• Try yogurt - the active cultures in yogurt help with lactose digestion
• Try hard cheeses like cheddar, swiss, and parmesan, which have less lactose
• Use lactase (liquid, tablets, or capsules) or lactose-reduced/lactose-free products
• Try high-calcium, non-dairy foods - there are lots!