Brittle Bones: Americans Still Not Meeting Current Calcium Recommendations
In a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers have found that many Americans, especially men, ethnic minorities, and individuals with less education, are not getting adequate intake of calcium.
Specifically, only 40% of the US men and women included in the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey met the Adequate Intake (AI)* for calcium. And that’s with nearly half (48%) of the survey participants taking calcium supplements.
* The government doesn’t set a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for calcium. Instead, an AI level (representing the daily suggested total intake from both diet and supplements) is set because of the lack of definitive knowledge regarding how nutrition, genetics, hormone balance, physical activity, etc. interact to affect bone health. The AI for adults ages 19 to 50 is 1000 mg, and for adults over age 50 it is 1200 mg.
Several groups in the study were more likely to have adequate calcium intake :
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Women - 60% more likely than men
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Caucasians - 90% more likely than non-Caucasians
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Education beyond high school - 50% more likely than those with less than high school education
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Individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis - 90% more likely than people over age 50 without the condition
Not Just Calcium
There are many factors other than calcium intake that can also affect your risk for developing osteoporosis, including:
- Intake of other important bone-building nutrients
- Vitamins - D and K
- Minerals - magnesium, zinc, copper, manganese, boron
- Essential fats - Omega-3
- Genetics - family history increases risk
- Ethnicity - more Caucasians, Asians affected
- Smoking - increases risk
- Weight - thinner people at greater risk
- Diet - high caffeine, salt, phosphorus (soft drink) intake increases risk
- Exercise - weight-bearing exercise decreases risk
- Hormonal changes - post-menopausal women (estrogen decline) at high risk; lower testosterone an issue for older men
Also, the form of calcium you take and how you divide the doses can directly affect the body’s absorption and utilization of the mineral.
It’s important to look at the big picture. Just popping calcium pills without considering the other important nutrients necessary for maintaining healthy bones, as well as the dietary and lifestyle factors, is unlikely to lead to optimal results.
You can read more about osteoporosis and my general approach to helping people avoid and treat it here. If you’d like help putting together an organized dietary and supplementation plan to address osteoporosis and/or other chronic conditions, please visit my main site for information on setting up an appointment.
Related Posts
Do Omega-3 Fats Help Prevent Osteoporosis?
Researchers Call for Increase in Vitamin D Levels
Vitamin K Key for Preventing Osteoporosis in Peri-menopause
(Image: MyPharmacy - UK)
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Discover How Nutrition Can Make a Difference in Your Life …
May 9th, 2007 at 7:33 am
I just found your blog last week, and I continue to love it. As I read each post, I start to form objections and conclusions in my head, only to realize that you’ve answered them later in the post.
In this case I was going to point out, as you did, that we need to look at the big picture, not just calcium intake. So much focus is put on the calcium going in without regard to lifestyle habits, especially in advertising. For example, I saw a commercial the other day for a prescription meant to prevent (or reverse?) osteoporosis. The woman in the ad talks about the wonders of the drug as she pours herself a cup of coffee!! What?