With increased awareness of health and wellness, many seniors pay close attention to calcium supplementation to prevent osteoporosis. But is calcium supplementation simply about taking calcium tablets or nutritional foods? Seniors often use incorrect methods. How should seniors supplement calcium scientifically?
Why do we need calcium supplements?
Understanding the risk factors for osteoporosis
As we age, the balance between bone formation and bone resorption is disrupted, resulting in a negative balance. Bone mass gradually decreases, and osteoporosis becomes an almost inevitable part of life. The most common symptoms of osteoporosis in daily life are general pain, decreased height and hunchback, and increased risk of fractures. It's a silent epidemic, developing slowly, so it's often overlooked, yet the consequences are severe. Therefore, we must pay special attention to the risk factors for osteoporosis, recognizing them early, taking preventative measures, and reaping the benefits early.
Among the risk factors for osteoporosis, some are unavoidable, such as family history (parents also had severe osteoporosis), gender (more common in women, especially postmenopausal women), race, and age (osteoporosis is definitely more severe with age). However, many other known risk factors are preventable, such as insufficient calcium intake, insufficient physical activity, and smoking and alcohol consumption.
Scientific calcium supplementation relies on more than just nutritional supplements
1. Exercise's role in improving osteoporosis
Studies have found that older adults who exercise or work out experience elevated levels of both estrogen and androgen, hormones crucial for maintaining bone mass balance. However, it's important to note that high-intensity exercise can actually lower hormone levels; therefore, light to moderate exercise is more suitable for older adults. Regular exercise also allows older adults to spend more time outdoors in sunlight, which promotes vitamin D production, a vital component in calcium absorption and utilization.
2. Dietary calcium supplementation is safer than calcium supplementation through medication.
The safest and most effective way to supplement calcium is to increase calcium intake through daily diet. Moreover, calcium supplementation through food is safer than calcium supplementation through medication and will not cause excessive blood calcium levels.
Experts recommend that older adults drink two glasses of milk daily and eat more calcium-rich foods such as dairy products, dried shrimp, soybeans, green beans, tofu, and sesame paste. Secondly, they should choose a healthy lifestyle, reducing their intake of coffee and cola, and avoiding smoking, as these can all contribute to bone loss.
3. Supplementing with calcium is important, but supplementing with collagen is even more crucial.
Experts point out that bone health refers to the health of the entire skeletal system, including bones, cartilage, joints, tendons, and ligaments. Simply supplementing with calcium can only promote bone formation; it cannot guarantee the flexibility, agility, shock absorption, tensile strength, and overall coordination of the entire skeletal system. Therefore, for middle-aged and elderly people, only by comprehensively supplementing bone nutrition and ensuring a balanced ratio of nutrients in the bones can the entire body remain strong, flexible, and resilient.
4. Avoid excessive calcium intake.
Excessive calcium intake is harmful to the elderly. Studies have found that high calcium supplementation may lead to adverse effects such as kidney stones, ectopic calcification, and atherosclerosis. These issues can be mitigated by using appropriate amounts of vitamin D3 to promote intestinal calcium absorption or by reducing sodium and protein intake to decrease calcium loss. In recent years, multiple studies have indicated that high calcium supplementation can lead to osteoporosis and a significantly increased incidence of hip fractures. This should be given serious attention by the entire society, especially by clinicians. When using calcium supplements and vitamin D3 in combination clinically, monitoring blood calcium levels is crucial for improving clinical efficacy and reducing complications.
