Nutrition for Bone Health

A healthy diet that includes foods rich in calcium and other bone-building nutrients, such as dairy foods, can make a big difference to our bone health.

Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, with about 99% found stored in bones and teeth. Calcium assists with:

  • building bone mass,
  • normal growth, and
  • the development and maintenance of the strength and structure of bone.

Calcium also plays a role in:

  • normal blood clotting, to ensure we stop bleeding after a cut or nose bleed;
  • regulating hormone secretions (such as insulin, which enables us to use the glucose [sugar] from food we eat); and
  • controlling and regulating muscle functions (including a normal heartbeat).

Calcium is the central building block for bones. Bones act as a storage bank for calcium - when dietary intake of calcium is too low, the body takes calcium from the bones to use for other important functions in the body.

The body loses calcium daily through shed skin, hair and nails, sweat, urine and losses from the stomach and intestines.

Dietary calcium requirements vary throughout life. The body has a greater need during periods of rapid growth (such as in childhood and adolescence), and then in later adult years (to compensate for the bone we lose as we age).

Optimal calcium intake, from early childhood and adolescence through the post-menopausal and late adult years, reduces the risk of fractures and osteoporosis.

Other Bone-building Nutrients

It is well known that calcium plays a very important role in building and maintaining strong bones but there are also a number of other bone-building nutrients that can help build strong bones. These include:

  • Vitamin D: helps absorb calcium from the foods and drinks we consume.
  • Protein: helps build bone.
  • Phosphorus: essential for the formation and maintenance of strong bones.
  • Potassium: helps to make bones stronger.
  • Magnesium: helps to control calcium levels in bone.
  • Zinc: plays a role in the regulation of bone turnover.

These bone-building nutrients (with the exception of Vitamin D) can all be found naturally in calcium-rich dairy foods.

Now go to Osteoporosis.