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Boning
Up on Calcium
You'd be hard pressed to find a woman who doesn't know that she needs
calcium to maintain strong bones. But you'd have to search even harder
to find a man who knows that during most of his life he needs just as
much calcium as a woman.
Throughout our lives, bone is lost and regrows. When we're young, growth
outpaces loss, and we become taller. By about age 30, though, the processes
tend to balance out. Then, as we pass the far side of middle age, the
scales can tip in favor of loss, leading to reduced bone density—a
condition called osteoporosis.
More than a million and a half Americans each year suffer broken bones
related to osteoporosis. Because of inadequate calcium intake, combined
with lack of exercise, their bones became thin and brittle.
The situation is serious enough that a panel of the National Institutes
of Health has stated that the standard recommended dietary allowances
for calcium aren't enough.
The NIH panel suggests that men and women from 25 to 50 years of age get
1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. From 50 to 65, women need 1,500,
whereas men can get by on 1,000. After 65, both sexes need 1,500 milligrams.
This near doubling (from 800 milligrams) for older men reflects recent
research on bone growth. We now know that calcium absorption can drop
significantly, especially after age 65, and that we make less vitamin
D (necessary to deliver calcium to bones) as we age.
Excellent dietary sources of calcium included skim milk; tofu set with
calcium; low-fat yogurt; low-fat cheeses such as mozzarella, ricotta,
cottage cheese, and parmesan; navy beans; vegetables such as collards,
turnips, and broccoli; and other foods enriched with calcium, such as
orange juice, cereal, and bread.
A careful diet can supply all the calcium you need. But if you don't eat
dairy products, you'll probably need to take supplements to meet the new
guidelines. Because your body can absorb a limited amount of calcium at
one time, it's best to take the supplement in multiple small doses (no
more than 600 milligrams at a time). Also, if you're not getting vitamin
D from a multiple vitamin, look for calcium that also provides 200 to
400 international units of vitamin D.
Adequate dietary calcium gives you a good start toward heading of osteoporosis,
but it's not the whole plan. Exercise can significantly enhance bone density.
In particular, lifting weights appears to stimulate bone growth while
it develops strong muscles to support the bones.
Once you've followed your significant other's example by joining the calcium
crowd, you can do her a favor, too. Chances are, she doesn't know about
the strength training connection. So why not make a date to show her the
wonders of weights?
However, if you have prostate cancer and
are on medication to eliminate testosterone and by injection form, then
you are at very high risk to develop osteoporosis. In addition to taking
the calcium and vitamin D and other steps as indicated above, you should
also have bone densities done every two years.
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