To prevent our bones from becoming crumbly at an advanced age, we need to establish a stable foundation while we are still young. An adequate supply of calcium and vitamin D makes an important contribution to the prevention of bone loss and osteoporosis. Learn which foods are particularly healthy for bones and what the consequences of an overdose of vitamin D can be.
Brittle bones in old age
Our bones are by no means rigid, dead tissue; rather, they are an extremely metabolically active organ in which remodeling processes are constantly taking place. They consist mainly of connective tissue, which is responsible for elasticity, and to a large extent of calcium, which provides hardness and resistance. As we age, the strength of our bones decreases, they slowly become friable and break more easily. Hormones also play an important role here: after menopause, women are particularly at risk of developing osteoporosis – the technical term for friable bones. This can be seen, for example, in the fact that older women are more likely to suffer a bone fracture in the event of a fall than younger women. Osteoporosis: 11 tips for strong bones
Calcium stabilizes bones
To maintain the resilience of bones, it is important to get enough calcium in the diet at a young age. For an adequate calcium supply, the German Nutrition Society (DGE) recommends 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. Adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 should even consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day. From around the age of 30, the bones hardly store any new calcium. It is therefore all the more important to start a calcium-rich diet accordingly at an early age.
Calcium in foods
Calcium-rich foods are especially milk and dairy products. Who does not like milk, can therefore just as well reach for yogurt, cottage cheese and cheese. However, there are also good sources of calcium for people who live vegan as well as people with lactose intolerance. The following foods are particularly rich in calcium:
- Particularly matured types of cheese such as soft, semi-hard and hard cheese contain a lot of calcium. The harder the cheese, the higher the calcium content. Cheese varieties with a lower fat content contain more calcium than cheese with a higher fat content.
- Milk and sour milk products are also good suppliers of calcium. Here, heat treatment as well as fat content have little influence on the calcium content.
- Notable amounts of calcium are also contained in plant foods such as broccoli, kale, chard, nuts and seeds.
- Calcium-rich mineral water (> 150 milligrams / liter) also contributes to the supply of the important mineral.
Food with a lot of calcium
The following table presents the calcium content of selected foods:
| Food | Quantity | Calcium content |
|---|---|---|
| 1 glass of milk (1.5% fat) | 200 ml | 246 mg |
| 1 cup yogurt (1.5% fat) | 150 g | 185 mg |
| 1 slice Emmental cheese (45% fat in dry matter) | 30 g | 309 mg |
| 1 serving kale | 200 g | 424 mg |
| 1 serving fennel | 200 g | 218 mg |
| 1 serving broccoli | 200 g | 176 mg |
| 1 serving leeks | 200 g | 126 mg |
| 2 tablespoons almonds | 20 g | 50 mg |
| 2 tablespoons sesame | 20 g | 157 mg |
Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption
To store calcium in the bones, the body needs vitamin D as an aid, which we also take in with food. Above all, however, the sun plays an important role in the supply of vitamin D. Without the vitamin, not only is the absorption of calcium into the bones made more difficult: a lack of vitamin D can even promote the breakdown of calcium from the bones. In addition to a healthy and balanced diet, regular exposure to fresh air promotes the body’s own production of the vitamin, because vitamin D can also be produced in the skin under the influence of UV light. Therefore, stay outdoors as often as possible and enjoy the sun.Regular exercise in the fresh air and sunshine also not only promotes vitamin D conversion, it also trains the muscles and stimulates their metabolism. The bones remain strong and do not break as easily. However, the skin‘s ability to produce vitamin D on its own decreases with age. In winter, less “skin vitamin” is also converted due to less sunshine. Therefore, it is important to take vitamin D also through an appropriate diet.
Food with a lot of vitamin D
To meet the necessary need for calcium and for vitamin D, one should eat a particularly conscious diet. A good supply of vitamin D is provided by the following foods:
- Sea fish, especially fatty fish such as salmon, herring, sardine or mackerel.
- Cod liver oil
- Egg yolk
- Mushrooms, for example porcini or shiitake mushrooms
- Cow’s milk and dairy products
- Avocado
Need for vitamin D
Daily intake of vitamin D should be 20 micrograms. However, it is hardly possible to cover this daily dose through food alone. Therefore, if the production of vitamin D through the skin is not possible in sufficient quantities and a vitamin D deficiency is present, a doctor can be consulted. If necessary, he or she will recommend the use of dietary supplements. However, due to a possible overdose, such preparations should not be taken without prior consultation with a physician. In addition, it is controversial whether such preparations are also suitable for the prevention of osteoporosis.
Dietary supplements: avoid overdose
If you take too much vitamin D over a long period of time, the intestines may absorb too much calcium and the bones release more calcium. This results in hypercalcemia – an elevated level of calcium in the blood, associated with complaints such as muscle weakness, depression or digestive tract problems. For this reason, the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommends a maximum intake of vitamin D via dietary supplements of 20 micrograms per day. The BfR has also issued a recommendation for the additional intake of calcium via food supplements: The maximum amount here is 500 milligrams daily.
