As people age, maintaining bone strength becomes increasingly important. Health.com recently discussed strategies for keeping bones healthy in later years with experts, including Dr. Matthew Drake, Chief of the Endocrinology and Metabolic Bone Disease Services at Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS).
Dr. Drake explained that calcium is a key component for building bone, but it also plays an essential role in maintaining steady levels in the blood. “If you don’t get enough calcium from your diet, the body gets crafty and steals calcium from bone to keep blood levels stable,” said Dr. Drake. He noted that this process can be problematic as bones naturally weaken with age.
To prevent this, Dr. Drake advised ensuring adequate dietary calcium intake. He stated that women should consume 1,200 milligrams per day after age 50, while men require 1,000 milligrams daily until age 70 and then 1,200 milligrams afterward.
“But here’s the kicker: You can’t effectively absorb more than about 400 milligrams at any single meal,” Dr. Drake said. “So each time you have a meal, there should be some source of calcium,” such as dairy products, leafy greens, soy foods or fortified options.
Hospital for Special Surgery contributes to community health by providing specialized orthopedic care and advancing musculoskeletal research (https://news.hss.edu/). The hospital has achieved consistent top rankings in orthopedics and holds multiple Magnet designations for nursing excellence (https://news.hss.edu/). HSS also focuses on enhancing mobility and life quality through patient care and research in orthopedic surgery and rheumatology (https://news.hss.edu/).
The full article is available at Health.com.