From strengthening your bones to providing an all-around healthy lifestyle, both calcium and vitamin D play a vital role in bone health. Ensuring you have an adequate intake of these two bone supporting nutrients as part of a well-balanced diet along with physical activity can help improve your overall bone health*.
What is Calcium?
Calcium is a mineral that is stored in your bones, and without it, your body lacks a strong foundation, making your bones more brittle and weak. This bone-enhancing nutrient works by forming hydroxyapatite crystals and providing a skeletal structure for our body. Around 99% of calcium in our body is stored in our bones and teeth, where bones serve as a calcium reservoir to help maintain the body's calcium homeostasis.1
What is Vitamin D?
Although calcium is the first nutrient that comes to mind when thinking of bone health, it is crucial that we get sufficient vitamin D to allow our body to absorb the calcium efficiently. Calcium absorption in the gut requires the presence of vitamin D; without sufficient vitamin D, calcium absorption will be compromised. Sufficient amount of vitamin D3 can help make calcium absorption much more efficient, which is beneficial for bone health)*.2
Bone metabolism
Calcium and vitamin D both play a crucial role in bone metabolism, particularly in the remodeling of mature bone tissue and new bone formation. Bone homeostasis is well regulated; the remodeling occurs throughout your life contributes to the health of your skeletal framework, and requires three hormones: parathyroid, calcitonin, and calcitriol (a form of vitamin D) to work together for optimal bone formulation. Bone homeostasis is important to keep our bones well-balanced and maintain long-term bone health, for both young and older individuals*.3
Physical activity plays a crucial role in maintaining bone health, primarily by helping to preserve bone mass and enhancing bone mineral density. Regular weight-bearing and resistance exercises stimulate bone formation and slow age-related bone loss. This is essential for preventing conditions like osteoporosis, which leads to brittle and fragile bones. According to Lin et al., engaging in physical activity, as opposed to sedentary behavior, is positively correlated with higher bone mineral density and lower body fat levels, further underscoring the importance of an active lifestyle for bone health*.4
In addition to exercise, adequate intake of vitamin D and calcium is vital for bone health. Vitamin D facilitates the absorption of calcium in the gut, which is necessary for maintaining proper bone structure and function. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommend a daily intake of 600 IU (15 mcg) of vitamin D for individuals aged 1-70 years*. Common food sources of vitamin D include fatty fish (like salmon, mackerel, and tuna), fortified foods (such as milk, orange juice, and cereals), and egg yolks.5
Calcium is another critical nutrient for bone health. It is recommended that adults aged 19-50 consume 1,000 mg of calcium daily, with this requirement increasing to 1,200 mg for women over 50 and men over 70. Dairy products such as milk, yogurt, and cheese are rich sources of calcium. Other sources include leafy green vegetables (like kale and broccoli), fortified plant-based milks, fortified orange juice, and canned fish with bones (such as sardines and salmon).
Ensuring a balanced diet with sufficient vitamin D and calcium, combined with regular physical activity, is essential for maintaining bone health and preventing bone-related diseases.*
Healthy Muscle Function
Other than the beneficial effects of bone health, calcium and vitamin D both play a role in muscle function as well. Higher vitamin D levels have been associated with better muscle performance in older populations. For calcium, it is an essential nutrient for healthy muscle contraction. Regular physical activity can help strengthen the muscles to help improve muscle strength and coordination*.6
References
1. Office of Dietary Supplements - Calcium. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Calcium-HealthProfessional/
2. VITAMIN D: Overview, Uses, Side Effects, Precautions, Interactions, Dosing and Reviews. https://www.webmd.com/vitamins/ai/ingredientmono-929/vitamin-d
3. Kini U, Nandeesh BN. Physiology of Bone Formation, Remodeling, and Metabolism. In: Springer eBooks. 2012:29-57.
4. Lin Z, Shi G, Liao X, et al. Correlation between sedentary activity, physical activity and bone mineral density and fat in America: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011–2018. Scientific Reports. 2023;13(1).
5. Office of Dietary Supplements - Vitamin D. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
6. Ceglia L. Vitamin D and its role in skeletal muscle. Current Opinion in Clinical Nutrition and Metabolic Care. 2009;12(6):628-633.
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