bones and calcium

We all know the importance of bones for structural support for our bodies, and as protection for our organs.   Bones also provide an anchor for muscles.  What may seem to be a lifeless and somewhat “rock-like” framework that lasts way beyond the rest of our physical being is actually comprised of living, growing tissue that acts as a storage warehouse for calcium  the most prevalent mineral in our body, as well as other nutrients.  Our bones and teeth store more than 99% of the calcium in our bodies, with the remaining one percent found in our blood.

Bones are made mostly of collagen  a protein that provides a soft and flexible structural framework able to withstand a considerable amount of physical stress and calcium phosphate  a mineral that strengthens and hardens this framework.  This combination of materials allows bones to be both strong and somewhat flexible.

The exact anatomy of bones remains obscure, but it is known that they do contain sensory neurons.  There are a number of diseases and/or physical conditions that can cause pain that emanates from bone tissue:  extensive physical stress, fractures, cancer, osteoarthritis are among them.

Living bone cells are continually remodeling, giving up calcium as the rest of the body calls for it, and then filling in the holes in bone tissue from the supply cabinet.  It is especially important for children and young adults to take steps towards building strong and healthy bones.  From pre-adolescence through our 20s and early 30s is the most critical time to stockpile calcium. Alas, beyond this age bones tend to break down faster than the body can restore them.

Those holes or gaps in the spongy bone tissue can become larger and/or more numerous, and the slowly but gradually depleting store of bone-building calcium is no longer able to meet repair needs properly.  Porous bones are more susceptible to weakening and fracturing and slow or poor healing.  When this occurs, osteoporosis and/or its precursor, osteopenia, have come into play.

Some risk factors for osteoporosis are beyond our control:

• Advancing age (though current research shows that it is striking younger patients, particularly those with cancer, celiac disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and IBD
• Being a woman
• Being petite and/or thin body weight less than 127 pounds
• Being Caucasian or Asian
• Being a man with low levels of testosterone

But some risk factors are –or might be– within our control to one degree or another:

• POOR DIETARY CHOICES:  low-calcium foods and/or an excess of calcium-depleting foods like processed or canned foods.  Limit the salt you add to your food as well, and strive for 2,400 mg or less of sodium daily.
• CARBONATED BEVERAGES:  soft drinks and other carbonated drinks have a high phosphate content which binds calcium in the bowel and reduces its absorption.  Phosphate also forms acid in the bloodstream, causing the valuable calcium supply in the bones to be depleted as it is utilized to balance the calcium/phosphate ratio in the bloodstream.
• TOBACCO USE:  Significant bone loss has been found in older men and women who smoke. Evidence is mounting that the more you smoke, the greater your risk of fracture will be as you age, and the slower the healing process will be from fractures.
• HEAVY ALCOHOL USE:  “Alcohol has multiple effects on calcium,” says Primal Kaur, MD, an osteoporosis specialist at Temple University Health System in Philadelphia. “The bones deteriorate because not enough calcium is getting into bones — and the body is leaching it away from bones.
• CERTAIN DRUGS:  this includes some corticosteroids, anticonvulsants, blood thinners, antidepressants, reflux and thyroid medication
• CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTATION:  According to Dr. Robert Thompson, MD in his book The Calcium Lie you may actually worsen your bone density and increase your risk of osteoporosis by focusing on calcium supplementation alone, as bone is comprised of at least a dozen minerals that act as co factors with calcium and require a natural balancing act.
• LACK OF EXERCISE  including weight-bearing activity  one study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that weight-bearing activity had a much greater effect on bone health than calcium intake did.
• Eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa 
• Kidney stones 

listed here due to their potential to be controlled with proper diet and lifestyle

Beyond the age of 35, it is important to shift our focus from building bones to preserving our precious stores of calcium and minimizing loss of bone mass.  Here are some steps you can take to insure that your bones stay healthy and strong and continue to serve you for the remainder of your life:

• Eat a healthy and colorful balanced diet of mostly plant-based foods that provide abundant vitamins, calcium and other minerals as well as other nutrients your body needs.  Avoid processed foods and any excess of alcohol, sugar and caffeine.  Make it your aim to get the recommended daily amount of calcium from food rather than through supplementation with synthetic, isolate versions that can actually cause more harm than good.  .
• Drink plenty of pure water in lieu of sodas, caffeinated beverages and alcohol that can all deplete your body’s precious supply of calcium and other minerals.
• Move your body!  Weight-bearing exercises such as dancing, hiking, jumping rope, low-impact aerobics, etc. are great to help your body stay strong.  Choosing low-impact aerobic moves that are easy on joints, such as walking, yoga, QiGong, or Tai Chi, will enhance your range of motion and improve balance which can help to prevent falls. Lifting weights can also help because it builds joint-supporting muscles.  Everybody can find something they can do, and exercise has proven to be more effective at retaining bone mass than calcium supplementation!

References:

http://nof.org/articles/952

http://www.iofbonehealth.org/

http://plenteousveg.com/milk-calcium/

http://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/everyone/basics/vitamins/calcium.html

http://health.usnews.com/health-conditions/bone-joint-health/osteoporosis/overview

http://www.nytimes.com/health/guides/specialtopic/physical-activity/exercise%27s-effects-on-bones-and-muscles.html

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2009/07/18/the-milk-myth-what-your-body-really-needs.aspx

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304360704579417080054796304?mg=reno64-wsj&url=http%3A%2F%2Fonline.wsj.com%2Farticle%2FSB10001424052702304360704579417080054796304.html