Do you still have “a sufficient balance” of bone mass? Bone health that must be paid attention to after the age of 30 

Fractures and osteoporosis are among the most common conditions that affect the elderly and pose a threat to their health and quality of life.

Body bone mass is at its best around the age of 35 years, after which the loss starts gradually over the years. The reduction of bone mass with aging in the elderly is a gradual process, showing a linear decrease in men and a significantly increased rate of bone mass loss in women in the first 5 years after menopause, thus, they are more susceptible to osteoporosis.

There is research that reveals that among the population who are more than 50 years old, 43% of the patients with fractures show a deficiency of calcium and vitamin D. Nutritional intervention experiments have found that a reasonable intake or vitamin D and calcium supplementation can effectively lower the risk of fractures in the elderly.

So, what roles do calcium and vitamin D play and how should these two be rationally supplemented?

01. Calcium and vitamin D effects

Calcium is the most plentiful mineral in the human body and performs a number of physiological functions.

Calcium is the base that is used to build bones and teeth, around 99% of the total calcium in the body is in bones and teeth; the remaining 1% of calcium is distributed in the internal environment and other tissue cells and is involved in regulating neuromuscular excitability, mediating the integrity and permeability of biomembranes, maintaining normal function of cells, participating in the activation of enzymes, participating in the release of various hormones and neurotransmitters, In the process of blood coagulation, several stages are involved and are also linked to some physiological functions such as blood pressure regulation and iron transmembrane transport.

Vitamin D is changed into 25 – (OH) D in the liver of the body and further changed into active 1,25 – (OH) 2 D in the kidney, 1,25 – (OH) 2 D is bound to parathyroid hormone to keep blood calcium at a stable level, 1,25 – (OH) 2 D only facilitates calcium absorption and reabsorption of calcium by the renal tubules, and is the main source of direct action on bone.

Deficiency of calcium and vitamin D, leading to reduction of basic units in bone, thinning of the bone cortex and thinning and reduction of the trabecular bone, thus lowering the bone load capacity and increasing the risk of osteoporotic fractures.

02. Calcium and vitamin D supplementation

Insufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D is prevalent among the inhabitants of our country. According to the survey, the dietary calcium intake of the elderly in our country is less than half of the recommended amount. Therefore, the elderly need to consume adequate amounts of vitamin D and calcium, as well as moderate amounts of outdoor physical activity for the purpose of strengthening their bones.

“Reference Intake of Dietary Nutrients for Asian Residents (2023)” recommends:

The daily calcium intake for people over 50, middle-aged and elderly, is recommended to be 1,000 mg, while the daily intake of vitamin D is 10 micrograms;

The daily vitamin D intake for people over 65 is 15 micrograms.

03. Which foods are high in calcium?

Milk and milk products are rich in calcium and have a suitable calcium to phosphorus ratio, and also contain vitamin D, lactose, and other factors that facilitate calcium absorption, have high absorption and utilization, and are the main source of high-quality calcium in the diet. The elderly should consume 300 grams of milk or milk products per day, such as drinking a box of milk (about 220 ml) and a box of yogurt (about 120 ml) per day, and can also be replaced with cheese.

Besides milk and milk products, soy products (like tofu), sea food (like kelp, shrimp, shells), sesame seeds, and black fungus are also calcium-rich foods. Besides these, dietary oxalic acid and phytic acid can form precipitates with calcium to reduce calcium absorption, and it is recommended to choose vegetables with high calcium and low oxalic acid, such as celery, rapeseed, alfalfa, etc.

04. Where does vitamin D come from?

Vitamin D is a necessary substance for calcium absorption and the major source of vitamin D in the human body is the skin that has had contact with the sun or food. The elderly are recommended to go outside more and get sun exposure in moderation while also taking a calcium supplement. Time.

It is recommended that one should sunbathe twice weekly for 15 to 30 minutes. Foods high in vitamin D include fatty sea fish, animal liver, egg yolk, and cream.

If it is not possible to get enough calcium and vitamin D from food, then calcium and vitamin D supplements should be taken only with the approval of a health professional.

Disclaimer: The following image/content has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence model and is not a photograph or a traditional human creation.