Why is Bone Health Important?

Bones provide structure, anchor muscles, and protect the organs in the body. It also stores calcium, which is essential to maintain healthy bones during adolescence and adulthood. That is why maintaining healthy bones is essential for growth, mobility, and development.

Why Do Bones Deteriorate?

Your body needs minerals, calcium, and phosphate to make and keep healthy bones. As long as your body has a good balance of new and old bone, your bones stay healthy and strong. Bone deterioration occurs when more old bone is reabsorbed than new bone is created. Deterioration may also occur with no specific reason or without any known cause. Some are due to aging, and it is normal for every person. Some deterioration also happens due to genetic factors, which may also increase the risks of breaking a bone. 

Brittle, fragile bones can be caused by anything that makes your body destroy too much bone or keeps your body from making enough bone. Weak bones can break easily, even without an obvious injury. The mineral density is not the only predictor of how fragile your bones are. There are other unknown factors related to bone quality that is as important as bone quantity. Most bone density tests only measure bone quantity.

Aging and Bone Loss

As you age, your body may reabsorb calcium and phosphate from your bones instead of keeping these minerals in your bones. This makes your bones weaker. When this process reaches a certain stage, it is called osteoporosis.

Many times, a person will fracture a bone before they even know they have bone loss. By the time a fracture occurs, bone loss is serious. Women over age 50 years and men over age 70 years have a higher risk for osteoporosis than younger women and men. For women, a drop in estrogen at the time of menopause is a major cause of bone loss, and for men, a drop in testosterone as they age can cause bone loss. Other causes of bone deterioration may happen if: 

• Your body does not absorb enough calcium from the foods you eat
• You do not eat enough high-calcium foods
• Your body removes more calcium than normal in the urine

Habits That Can Destroy Bone Health

• Smoking. Men and women who smoke have weaker bones. Women who smoke after menopause have an even higher chance of fractures.
• Drinking alcohol. Too much alcohol can damage your bones. It can also put you at risk of falling and breaking a bone.

Medical Disorders and Bone Loss

Chronic conditions can keep people confined to a bed or chair and keeps the muscles and bones in their hips and spines from being used or bearing any weight. Lack of movement leads to bone loss and fractures. Other medical conditions that may also lead to bone loss are:

• Long-term kidney disease
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Diabetes, most often type 1 diabetes
• Organ transplant
• Overactive parathyroid gland

Any treatment or condition that causes calcium or vitamin D to be poorly absorbed can also lead to weak bones. Some of these are:

• Gastric bypass (weight-loss surgery)
• Cystic fibrosis
• Other conditions that prevent the small intestine from absorbing nutrients well
• People with eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia, are also at higher risk for osteoporosis.

How to Maintain Healthy Bones?

1. Pay attention to vitamin D. Your body needs vitamin D to absorb calcium. Good sources of vitamin D include oily fish, such as salmon, trout, whitefish, and tuna. Sunlight also contributes to the body’s production of vitamin D.
2. Include plenty of calcium in your diet. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, almonds, broccoli, kale, canned salmon with bones, sardines, and soy products, such as tofu.
3. Avoid substance abuse. Don’t smoke, and avoid drinking more than one alcoholic drink each day. 
4. Include physical activity in your daily routine. Weight-bearing exercises, such as jogging, climbing stairs, and walking, can help you build strong bones and slow bone loss.

What are Some Supplements for Bone Health?

Supplements such as CalCal 250 mg contain calcium carbonate, and vitamin D3 is an effective aid in maintaining healthy and strong bones. It increases the absorption of calcium and phosphorus, which are essentially required for strong bones. This acts as a dietary supplement that provides the exact calcium needed in the body.