Calcium Osteoporosis

2023 Author: Leslie Forster | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-26 07:36

Many women associate the need to consume the appropriate amount of calcium, either in supplements or through nutrition, with a sure way to avoid osteoporosis, that degenerative disease of the bones that, although it is not exclusive to the female gender, affects with frequency to women, especially in the age of menopause. But the body needs calcium for other functions besides that of guaranteeing the health and strength of the bones and teeth, where the highest percentage of calcium lies in our bodies.

This mineral also contributes to the movement of muscles and allows the nervous system to transmit messages between different parts of the body, as well as the distribution of enzymes and hormones carried by the blood vessels. The amount of milligrams of calcium we need varies depending on age, sex, and for women, whether they are pregnant or lactating. Also some specific groups, such as those who have begun to lose bone density as a result of age, vegetarians or some athletes, and people who have difficulty absorbing this important mineral may need additional doses.

Your doctor can help you determine if you are consuming the amount of calcium you need, as well as suggesting which supplements may benefit you. And of course, there is also food. Calcium can not only be obtained through dairy products such as yogurt, milk and cheeses, which are the ones that come to mind first. Consider this list of foods rich in calcium that are also a gift for the palate:

• Salmon, sardines (the same fresh as in tomato sauce or in oil), mussels, shrimp, scallops, octopus, oysters, prawns, clams.

• Spinach, kale, onion, watercress, chard, turnip greens, broccoli.

• White beans, chickpeas, lentils, soy.

• Egg (the yolk).

• Dried fruits, except chestnuts and dried figs.