Osteoporosis, which literally translated means “porous bones”, is a condition characterized by weak and brittle bones. In fact, osteoporosis can cause bones to become so weak that even mild stress may result in severe fractures. Most often osteoporosis is a result of insufficient levels of calcium, phosphorus and other essential minerals in the bones. However, osteoporosis can also be a result of certain endocrine disorders and excessive use of drugs such as corticosteroids. Individuals suffering from osteoporosis may experience bone fractures – most frequently in the spine, hip or wrist. Osteoporosis is often thought of as an old women’s disease but it can also affect men and children. But it is never too late – or too soon – to do something about osteoporosis. There are a number of things you can do to strengthen your bones and keep them healthy throughout life.

Osteoporosis Prevention

One of the most important factors in mitigating your risk of getting osteoporosis is to make sure your body receives adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D. The same can be said for individuals who already have osteoporosis, getting adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D can help to prevent bones from becoming weaker, and may even help replace bone that’s been lost.

If considering supplementation with calcium its important to know that the amount of calcium your body requires to stay healthy changes as you grow older. The human body requires the most calcium during childhood and adolescence, during pregnancy and breast-feeding and during times when the skeleton is growing quickly. Older men and postmenopausal women also require more calcium. As the body grows older it is unable to absorb calcium as well as it did in earlier years. Older aged individuals may also take medications that interfere with calcium absorption whereby prompting the need for supplemental calcium. Individuals diagnosed with osteoporosis are often required to increase calcium and vitamin D consumption, and my even be prescribed certain bone-building medications and hormone supplements.

Supplements that may be helpful for osteoporosis

While calcium should not be used as the only treatment for osteoporosis, supplementation with calcium will help to prevent the onset of this debilitating condition. The protective effective of calcium on bone mass is one of the few health claims permitted on supplement labels by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Although most health professionals would agree that calcium supplementation can reduce the risk of osteoporosis not all research supports this assertion. In fact, a few studies show that for women shortly after becoming menopausal calcium supplementation does not correlate with reduced risk of osteoporosis. However, supplementation with calcium has been shown help reduced risk of osteoporosis for women a few years following menopause.

Other trials have shown calcium supplementation to provide positive effects in women taking hormone replacement therapy, younger girls, and premenopausal women. Calcium supplementation is often recommended by doctors as way to lessen the risk of osteoporosis and to help those with osteoporosis. In addition to the 500 to 600 mg of calcium consumed in the average daily diet, approximately 900 mg of supplemental calcium should be taken in order to achieve 1,500 mg of calcium per day – the amount that many health professionals believe is ideal.