Calcium and Bone Density with Pro40
Bone density refers to the amount of mineral, ie. calcium in your bones and can identify how strong your bones are. Higher bone density means stronger bones that are less likely to break, while lower bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis) means bones are weaker and may be more likely to fracture. Bone density is measured using a DEXA scan which assesses bone strength and fracture risk.
Why is calcium important?
Calcium is very important for building and keeping bones strong throughout your life. About 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in the bones. The small amount that is in the blood helps the heart, muscles, blood, and nerves work properly. Bones act like a calcium storage bank, if you do not get enough calcium from your diet, your body will take calcium from your bones to use elsewhere in the body. With time, this can reduce bone strength and increase the risk of developing osteoporosis. Other factors including vitamin D status and exercise level, also play a role in the rate in which osteoporosis can develop.
Vitamin D Helps the body absorb and maintain calcium and phosphorus, both of which are important for building bone.
Did you know?
Less than 50% of all Australian adults get their recommended daily intake of calcium.
Calcium requirements throughout the life cycle
The amount of calcium you need depends on your age and gender. Peak Bone Mass, the time when our bones are strongest is reached by our early twenties and approximately 40% of this bone mass is built during puberty. Therefore, teenagers require the most calcium because their bones are growing rapidly. Building strong bones during childhood and adolescence helps to protect bone health later in life, which is why getting enough calcium at a young age is very important.
Women over 50 and men over 70 need higher amounts of calcium. For women, calcium needs increase during and after menopause because bone loss can happen more quickly at this time. As people age, the body absorbs less calcium from food and loses more calcium through the kidneys. Older adults therefore need to maintain a higher calcium intake to help protect bone health.
Calcium from food
The best way to get your recommended calcium intake is to eat a diet rich in calcium. Most people consume some calcium as part of their general diet, however calcium content in different foods varies significantly. It is important to consume ‘calcium rich’ foods on a regular basis.
For most Australians, dairy foods are the main and easiest source of calcium. Foods such as milk, yoghurt, and most cheeses are especially high in calcium, including reduced-fat and low-fat options. Eating three serves of dairy foods every day generally provides enough calcium to meet daily needs.
Osteoporosis Australia recommends 3-5 serves of calcium rich foods daily. The number of serves required will depend on the calcium content of the food.
Support your bone health with Nutreat Pro40
Nutreat Pro40 provides complete, balanced nutrition and contains essential nutrients your body needs for building and maintaining strong bones. Pro40 provides a natural source of calcium together with Vitamin D and a quality protein source to benefit bone strength and minimise the risk of muscle loss or sarcopenia and to assist with the dietary management of Osteoporosis.
Mixing one serve of Pro40 with 100 ml of water provides 292 mg of calcium, which is about 29% of the recommended daily intake.
If one serve of Pro40 is mixed with 100 ml of milk, it provides 409 mg of calcium, which is about 41% of the recommended daily intake.
Good nutrition helps keep your bones healthy at every stage of life.
*Based on 1000mg/day RDI