Sticks and stones may break your bones, but unlikely when fortified with Calcium! This base mineral required to hold up the entire human structure is a foundational nutrient required to keep us all upright and strong through our lifetime.

Why take calcium for healthy bones?

The human body is a collection of systems, all of which play a role in what makes us that—human. Out of all these systems, there is only one that gives our bodies their form, ultimately helping us stand tall, sit upright, and lay down comfortably: the skeletal system. This system starts out with 270 bones in infancy that fuse into 206 bones in adulthood, eventually composing around 14% of total body weight.

Aside from giving the human body its recognisable shape, bones also protect vital organs and other systems; for instance, the rib cage, protects the heart and lungs, the skull houses the brain, the spine gives delicate nerves a main thoroughfare to move through, the pelvic bone cradles the reproductive system, and so much more (1).

With the skeletal system playing a vital role in our body, it is critical we care for our bones throughout life. You don’t need to wait to become older to make bone health a priority as healthy bones are essential for happy, healthy living at any age.

The first step in supporting your skeletal system is by learning all about calcium for healthy bones. Though most adults know the importance of calcium in forming and maintaining strong bones, they may be surprised to learn that this essential mineral is not naturally produced by the body. Calcium for healthy bones is most often consumed by eating enough calcium-dense foods, while those who cannot get their intake from food can rely on their dose from calcium supplements. Regardless of how you ensure your daily calcium needs are met, it’s important to learn why your diet or daily vitamin and mineral supplement habits should include calcium for healthy bones.

Here we aim to shed light on the concept of calcium for healthy bones in order to encourage Vitable users to better care for their skeletal systems.

Importance of calcium and healthy bones

In infancy, we’re born with more bones in our body because some bones eventually fuse together to create larger and stronger structures as we mature. Without enough calcium for healthy bones at this life stage, this process of fusion may not be completed or it may encounter issues, resulting in bones that are brittle and susceptible to injury (1). Bones are some of our body parts that take quite some time to finish developing. Your bones continue to gain mass until age 21 where they are generally the most dense and at their healthiest (2).

However, even those with strong bones in childhood and adulthood will experience changes in their skeletal health as a natural consequence of aging. Despite getting enough calcium in our younger years, bones inevitably lose their density and become more fragile over time. This is why bone-related injuries can pose life-endangering health changes in older adults; bones in advanced age are much less able to fully heal from trauma, potentially affecting other organs, body systems, and processes.  

Both scenarios demonstrate the importance of calcium for healthy bones. Children need calcium for bones to develop properly as they move into adulthood, whereas older adults need the same to protect them from age-related bone conditions and injuries. But don’t be mistaken; even those at the prime of life need calcium for healthy bones just as much as these two vulnerable groups. After all, healthy bones are required for daily activities including walking, standing, sitting, exercising, performing any kind of work activity, and all kinds of leisurely pursuits. Life cannot be lived to the fullest physical capacity with a weak skeletal system, so calcium for healthy bones ought to be a health priority regardless of age.

In addition to the benefits provided by calcium for bones, the mineral plays other essential roles too. The body also uses calcium to form and maintain strong teeth and in healthy hair growth help, and it also helps our blood clot, muscles contract, regulate our heart’s rhythm, and keeps the nervous system healthy (2).

By getting enough of this mineral on a daily basis, our bodies are able to perform several functions and reap many biochemical benefits.

Calcium deficiencies can be caused by a lack of calcium for healthy bones

It is important to learn how to identify if you suffer from a calcium deficiency, and what you can do about it right away. A deficiency in calcium for healthy bones affects the body in different ways. Without enough calcium in our system needed for several bodily functions to run smoothly, our bodies would have no choice but to extract the mineral from our bones. This in turn, causes our bones to become weak and lose density, often forcibly and prematurely. Signs of compromised bone health may show up as back pain or difficulty maintaining proper posture, losing height at a quicker rate with age, increased proneness to fractures, decreased physical endurance, and a general feeling of chronic tiredness (7).

In more severe cases, calcium deficiency has even been found to be associated with psychological illnesses like mood disorders and anxious feelings, as well as with sleep-related issues (2).

Addressing a deficiency of calcium for healthy bones

Ensuring the body receives sufficient calcium requires you to maintain a well-balanced diet.

A well-balanced diet focused on increasing intake of calcium for your healthy bones means, aiming to eat plenty of dairy products, yogurt, and eggs (if this works with your dietary preferences), as well as soybeans and tofu, pumpkin (squash), kale, spinach, mustard leaves, turnip, wild-caught sardines, salmon, almonds, and certain other calcium-fortified foods. Be mindful of your protein and sodium intake too; as it has been suggested that high levels of protein and sodium may stimulate the kidneys to excrete more calcium, worsening a calcium deficiency and neutralising the benefits of eating other calcium-rich foods (3)

On the other hand, you may be more interested in exploring other non-food sources of calcium. Though eating healthily is still the best way for the body to get calcium for healthy bones, it’s common for some individuals to have diets or health conditions that restrict them from consuming certain types of food. Vegans and vegetarians and those suffering from lactose intolerance or other digestive issues are some groups that may be sensitive to foods containing calcium for healthy bones (3). In this case, calcium supplements are the best alternative.

When done properly, supplementation can address gaps left behind by dietary restrictions and ensure that you continue to get the right vitamins and minerals in order to live healthily.

Taking calcium supplements for healthy bones

Vitable Australia is a vitamin and mineral supplement brand that allows you to explore supplementation safely and sustain healthy habits.

Calcium supplements by Vitable, provide several benefits such as the maintenance of bone density and integrity, protection of dental health, support of bone healing and mineralisation. More so, they recommend that calcium supplements be taken alongside Vitamin D supplements as Vitamin D stimulates the body’s more efficient absorption and use of calcium (5), while other research has shown that it also reduces the risk of fractures (6).

Vitable Australia’s mineral and vitamin supplements that include calcium for healthy bones are worth looking into if you’re wishing to support or maintain bone health and strength. Vitable Australia’s vitamin subscription service allows you to get all of the vitamins and minerals you need according to your health goals. They offer personalised vitamin packs that can be delivered straight to you, making achieving a healthier lifestyle more convenient and attainable for Australians.

*Always read the label and follow directions for use. If you experience any symptoms or if symptoms persist, talk to your health professional. Vitamin and/or mineral supplements should not replace a balanced diet.

References:

1. Better Health Channel. “Bones”. Better Health Channel. Published (n.d.) on https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/bones. Accessed December 23, 2021.

2. Help Guide. “Calcium and bone health”. Help Guide. Published (n.d.) on https://www.helpguide.org/articles/healthy-eating/calcium-and-bone-health.htm. Accessed December 23, 2021.

3. NIH Osteoporosis and related bone diseases national resource center. “Calcium and Vitamin D: Important at Every Age”. NIH Osteoporosis and related bone diseases national resource center. Published (n.d.) on https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/nutrition/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-every-age. Accessed December 23, 2021.

4. Mayo Clinic Staff. ”Calcium and calcium supplements: Achieving the right balance”. Mayo Clinic Staff. Published (n.d.) on https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/calcium-supplements/art-20047097. Accessed December 23, 2021.

5. Vitable. “Calcium Plus”. Vitable. Published (n.d.) on https://research.vitable.com.au/calcium-plus. Accessed December 23, 2021.

6. Vitable. “Vitamin D”. Vitable. Published (n.d.) on. Accessed Dhttps://research.vitable.com.au/vitamin-d. Accessed December 23, 2021.

7. National Library of Medicine. “\What causes bone loss?” Published (n.d.) on https://medlineplus.gov/ency/patientinstructions/000506.htm. Accessed January 2, 2022.