Calcium, Vitamin D and Exercise
There are 173,000 broken bones each year in Australia due to poor bone health.
Poor bone health can lead to osteopenia ie. the thinning of the bone mass which can then lead to the development of osteoporosis. 1 million, older Australians are living with osteoporosis!
From birth to around 25 years of age, we build more bone than we lose. Our bones are not only getting bigger as we grow during this time, but they are developing their density which determines how strong they are.
From about the age of 25 to 50 our bones break down and rebuild at about the same rate so they are in a state of balance. This is when we have achieved our ‘peak bone mass’ ie. our bones are at their strongest.
After about 50 years of age however, we start to break down more bone than we rebuild. While this means that we will all experience some bone loss – it doesn’t mean that everyone will develop osteoporosis. To counteract this loss, there are a few important lifestyle changes we can make to maintain bone strength such as ensuring we get enough calcium, vitamin D and exercise.
Calcium and Bone Health
Calcium is needed for the healthy functioning of the heart, muscles, blood and nerves. Bones act like a calcium bank’ so if there is not enough calcium in our diet then our body takes calcium from our bones (this is known as resorption).
Are you eating enough calcium rich foods? The Australian National Nutrition Survey found that only 10% of older women and 10-30% of older men are. With the average intake only 60% of what is recommended for people over the age of 50.
Making sure that we are eating enough calcium rich foods is an easy way to help keep our bones strong. For older adults (women 50+ years and men 70+ years) the amount of calcium needed every day is 1300mg.
For a list of the calcium content of common foods go to International Osteoporosis Foundation
Vitamin D and Bone Health
Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium. It is also involved in growth and maintenance of the skeleton and regulating calcium level in the blood. It helps increase the absorption of calcium and phosphorous from the small intestine, helps regulate the amount of calcium in our blood and helps strengthen our skeleton. It can also assist with muscle function and reduce the risk of falls.
In Australia over 30% of adults have a deficiency of vitamin D (mild through to severe). Vitamin D deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, result in bone and joint pain, and increase the risk of falls and related fracture in older people
Vitamin D levels change throughout the year with levels highest in late summer and lowest at the end of winter. It is important to balance the need for sun exposure for vitamin D, while avoiding the risk of any sun damage.
If you don’t get enough exposure to sunlight, you may be deficient in vitamin D. It is important to discuss this with your doctor as Vitamin D supplements may be required.
Exercise and Bone Health
Regular physical activity and exercise plays an important role in maintaining healthy bones. In fact exercise is one of the most effective lifestyle strategies to achieve bone health.
Exercise is beneficial in not only improving and maintaining bone density but it also increases the size, strength and capacity of muscles. All of which combine to help improve balance, co-ordination and reduce risk of falls.
Exercises recommended for bone health are weight bearing aerobic, progressive resistance training and balance exercises– all of which you get in the Elossa Circuits!
Healthy Bones Australia https://healthybonesaustralia.org.au/