Your body needs calcium to keep your bones dense and strong.Low bone density can cause your bones to become brittle and fragile. These weak bones can fracture (break) easily, even without an obvious injury.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Eat foods that provide the right amounts of calcium, vitamin D, and protein. This kind of diet will give your body the building blocks it needs to make and maintain strong bones.
All adults under age 50 should have:
Adults age 51 and older should have:
Dairy products are the best source of calcium. Milk and dairy products -- such as yogurt, cheeses, and buttermilk -- contain a form of calcium that your body can absorb easily.
Adults should choosereduced fat(2% or 1%) or skim milk and other lower fat dairy products. Removing some of the fat does not lower the amount of calcium in a dairy product.
If you eat very few or no dairy products, you can find calcium in other foods. It is added to some orange juice, soy milk, tofu, ready-to-eat cereals, and breads. Check the labels on these foods for calcium.
Green leafy vegetables -- such as broccoli, collards, kale, mustard greens, turnip greens, and bok choy (Chinese cabbage) -- are good sources of calcium.
Other foods that can help you get enough calcium are:
Other tips to make sure your body can use the calcium in your diet:
Your doctor may recommend a calcium or vitamin D supplement for the calcium and vitamin D you need.
Osteoporosis - calcium; Osteoporosis - low bone density
Lewiecki EM. In the clinic. Osteoporosis. Ann Intern Med. 2011 Jul 5;155(1):ITC1-1-15;quiz ITC1-16.
National Osteoporosis Foundation. Clinician's Guide to Prevention and Treatment of Osteoporosis. Washington, DC: National Osteoporosis Foundation; 2010.
Updated by: David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M. Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
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