How to prevent osteoporosis by eating and getting calcium

Osteoporosis is a common disease in which the density of the bones decreases and over time the bones become weak and the risk of fracture increases.

Both men and women of all ages can get the disease, but according to statistics, the percentage of women with osteoporosis is higher than men, and the risk increases with age.

Contrary to popular belief, the cause of osteoporosis is not just a lack of calcium in the body, but in most cases is a problem in calcium metabolism, ie the body can not transplant calcium to the bones to repair and maintain their health, or in simpler language. Can use calcium properly.



Problems such as osteoporosis, kidney stones and other related diseases occur when the body is not able to use calcium properly. To better understand, let's start by examining some of the functions of calcium in the body.

The most abundant mineral found in the body is calcium, more than 98% of which is found in bones. One of the most important functions of calcium is to preserve and repair teeth, bones and many connective tissues such as joints, tendons, ligaments and so on.

Calcium also plays an important role in blood clotting, lowering and regulating blood pressure, regulating heart rate, contracting and relaxing muscles, and the body uses calcium to produce the hormone insulin and metabolize fats.

Another important function of calcium is to help transmit nerve messages between cells in the body, especially brain cells and the central nervous system, which are responsible for regulating the movements of muscles throughout the body, so the imbalance of calcium in the body with side effects such as Muscle cramps and pain, difficulty moving and walking, etc. are associated.



Because calcium plays a number of important roles in the body, if you do not get enough of this mineral from your diet and its level in your blood serum decreases, the body will absorb calcium stored in the bones, and if this If left untreated, it can lead to osteoporosis and tooth decay over time. So not getting enough calcium from your diet is one of the reasons for osteoporosis.

How much calcium should we get daily through nutrition?

The FDA (FDA) and the FDA report are slightly different, but the average is 1000 mg per day for women and 800 mg for men, which is the amount of calcium you can get. Get from food or supplements.

Dairy products are high in calcium, for example a glass of milk (250 cc) contains 250 to 300 mg of calcium and a bowl of yogurt (250 g) contains 350 to 400 mg of calcium. Other dietary sources of calcium include cabbage, fish, especially sardines, almonds and cheese.


Explanation of calcium supplements

Calcium supplements are usually of two types:

1. Calcium Carbonate

2. Calcium Citrate

Of course, there are other types of calcium tablets, such as Coral Calcium, Malate Calcium, etc., but they are mostly produced in the form of calcium carbonate and citrate.

Calcium carbonate: It needs stomach acid for absorption and can be useful for those whose stomachs produce too much acid and experience problems such as reflux or heartburn. But it is not suitable for those who have difficulty digesting food because it reduces stomach acid and makes digestion difficult. Calcium carbonate also causes constipation in some people.

Calcium citrate: does not need stomach acid to be absorbed, so it is much easier to absorb. Calcium citrate tablets are larger than calcium carbonate tablets, so it may be difficult for some to swallow. Apparently, calcium citrate pills cause less constipation, and if you have constipation, this type of calcium is more suitable for you.

If you do not have gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, gastroesophageal reflux disease, etc., consuming both types of calcium will be suitable for you and you will not feel a difference in their consumption.



Calcium metabolism and its relationship with osteoporosis

The body needs other minerals and vitamins to absorb, metabolize, and bind calcium to bones, teeth, and connective tissues in order to build, repair, and maintain good health. These nutrients include:

Vitamin D: Vitamin D helps to absorb calcium in the intestines and its deficiency reduces the absorption of this mineral, men need to consume 200 to 400 units of vitamin D daily and women 400 to 600 units of vitamin D, it is worth mentioning vitamin D It is one of the fat-soluble vitamins, ie it is stored in the liver and should not be consumed excessively. The best sources of vitamin D are fish, especially sardines (both fresh and tuna) and eggs. In addition, exposing the skin to the sun (provided you do not use sunscreen) causes the liver to make this vitamin. Remember that prolonged exposure to sunlight increases the risk of skin cancer, so do not sunbathe for more than 20 minutes a day.

 Magnesium: More than 400 enzymes in the body need magnesium to be active. Magnesium stimulates the thyroid gland to secrete the hormone calcitonin, which regulates the amount of calcium in the blood and the activity of bone cells.

Another function of magnesium is to convert vitamin D from stored form in the liver into an active form that the body can use. Other functions of magnesium include carbohydrate metabolism, energy production and ATP, regulation of blood pressure and heart rate with the help of calcium.

Many people, even young people and people who do not have osteoporosis, are deficient in this mineral. Improper nutrition, reduced food quality, stress, excessive consumption of tea, coffee and alcohol are some of the causes that cause magnesium deficiency in the body.

The daily requirement of this mineral for adults is 400 mg.



Copper: One of the essential minerals for the body is the element copper, which plays many functions in the health of the human body and mind. Copper plays an important role in the binding of calcium to the bones, so its deficiency or increase in the body can easily cause Osteoporosis and many other diseases, because this mineral is found in abundance in food, its deficiency is rare, but in return, an increase in copper is observed in many people, because the study And research on minerals and their role in health is part of the nutrition sciences. Unfortunately, they are not given enough attention in medical science. In recent years, many studies and researches on this element and key roles have been conducted in public and private laboratories in the United States. It takes place in the human body.

Manganese: The body uses this element to form, repair bones, and transplant calcium into connective tissues, including joints, ligaments, and collagen production. Manganese deficiency causes problems such as joint wear, osteoporosis, and related problems. Tendons.

Zinc: More than 100 enzymes in the body need the element zinc to be active, including digestive enzymes that help digest, absorb nutrients and convert them into energy.

The adrenal glands also use zinc to produce some hormones such as testosterone, estrogen, DHEA, etc. These hormones play a very important role in calcium metabolism and increasing bone density.

Zinc is also needed as a coenzyme to produce protein and nucleic acid, both of which are essential for bone health.

Unfortunately, most people do not get enough zinc through nutrition and deficiency of this mineral is very common.

Phosphorus: The main structure of bones is calcium and phosphorus, more than 50% of bones are phosphate (a derivative of phosphorus). Phosphorus is mostly found in protein-rich foods such as white meat such as chicken and fish, eggs, and in dairy and some legumes, which, along with calcium, form a strong bone structure. Therefore, for the health of your bones and teeth, you need to consume enough protein per day along with calcium. Women should get 0.7 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight and men 1 gram of protein. For example, a woman weighing 50 kg should receive 35 grams of protein per day, and for example, if she is to get this amount of protein from chicken, she needs to consume 120 grams of chicken per day (per 100 grams of chicken fillet or breast containing 30 G is protein)

Iodine: Iodine does not directly affect calcium metabolism but is needed to produce the hormones T3 and T4, which are secreted by the thyroid gland. Hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism both exacerbate osteoporosis.

Boron: Research shows that people who take boron supplements have stronger bones than others. Also, the rate of urinary calcium excretion is significantly lower in people who take these supplements, especially postmenopausal women. This element increases the production of sex hormones in both men and women, which is a key point especially for postmenopausal women.

Lead: Lead is a toxic metal that does not play any beneficial role in the body and by substituting beneficial elements such as zinc and calcium in bones and other tissues causes a variety of diseases such as osteoporosis. In cities facing industrial pollution, it is one of the reasons why the amount of this dangerous metal in the body increases.

Other nutrients that help build, repair and maintain bones include vitamins A, K, and C, but are rarely deficient.

Other factors that cause osteoporosis

1. Problems with the thyroid and parathyroid glands

2. Problems with the adrenal glands

Excessive consumption of caffeinated beverages such as tea and coffee

4. Improper habits such as alcohol, drugs and smoking

Side effects of some medications such as aspirin, antidepressants, birth control pills and antacids that are used to treat stomach problems.

6. Consumption without review of dietary supplements: Consumption without review of dietary supplements can cause mineral imbalance in the body and disruption of calcium metabolism and eventually osteoporosis.

Treatment of osteoporosis

For treatment, the amount of minerals and vitamins in the body should be measured by performing blood tests and appropriate dietary supplements should be selected based on the results. Without adjusting the amount and balance of minerals in the body, there will never be a complete cure.

 For example, if a person has an excess of copper, which most people with osteoporosis have excess copper in their body, the first step is to eliminate copper-rich foods, such as red meat, nuts, mushrooms, etc., from the diet. In the next step, the amount of copper and other elements should be adjusted with the diet plan and the use of dietary supplements.

Calcium metabolism and bone repair cycle usually return to normal by adjusting the amount and balance of elements.

Tip: Prevention has long been said to be better than cure, and it is recommended that men and women over the age of 40 follow a proper program to prevent osteoporosis so that they do not develop the disease as they age.