As many as 50% of women and 30% of men are likely to experience fractures due to neglecting to keep their bones healthy. This is according to pharmacist at Medipost Pharmacy, Bright Kupa.
He strongly encourages the intake of vital nutritional building blocks to protect bone strength and bone mineral density throughout one’s life.
“Our bodies cannot produce calcium, so dietary sources are very important. These include milk and other dairy products and certain vegetables like broccoli and soybeans. To build and maintain our bone strength, we need enough of this mineral in combination with vitamin D and plenty of weight-bearing exercise, for example walking,” explained Kupa.
“Calcium is a mineral that is most essential for bone health – with 99% of the calcium in the body contained within our teeth and bones. It is also vital for critical bodily functions, such as muscle contraction.
“When our bodies do not have enough calcium for critical bodily functions, it will take calcium from our bones, causing even further loss in bone density,” he said.
“Vitamin D assists with the absorption of calcium from the food you eat. With exposure to sunlight, the body can produce vitamin D, but dietary sources are also important.
“An adequate calcium intake to aim for per day is specific for different age groups and genders, with a recommended supplementation range from 500 mg to 1 200 mg per day.
“A recommended amount of vitamin D supplementation for adults is generally between 400 international unit (IU) per day and 1 000 IU per day.
“Remember that taking too much of these minerals and vitamins can cause side effects, and dosages should be discussed with your primary healthcare provider or pharmacist,” said Kupa.
He encourages the prioritisation of bone health.
Without the vital nutritional building blocks of calcium and vitamin D, our bones will not grow strong, said Kupa. In children, this can lead to serious disorders such as rickets, where the bones are soft and weakened.
“Proper bone development during childhood and adolescence is especially important to help prevent bone diseases such as osteoporosis later in life.
“As we grow older, our bones gradually lose mineral density. If a person’s bones loses minerals faster than the body can replace them and the bones become less dense, lose strength, and break more easily, it is described as osteoporosis,” Kupa explained.
