THE NEW YORK TIMES – Here are some nutrients to prioritize to keep your bones healthy as you age.
Calcium
When you don’t get enough calcium from food, your body will pull the mineral from your bones, which can make them weaker, said Sue Shapses, a professor of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University.
Your ability to absorb calcium from food declines as you age too, she said.
According to the National Institutes of Health, women ages 19 to 50 need 1,000 milligrams of calcium each day, and 1,200 milligrams if they’re 51 or older. Men ages 19 to 70 need 1,000 milligrams, or 1,200 milligrams if they’re older.
Experts say that, if possible, it’s best to meet these recommendations with your diet rather than with supplements.
Dairy products like milk and yogurt are excellent sources of calcium, said Connie Weaver, a research professor at San Diego State University who studies how diet influences bone health.
One cup of low-fat Greek yogurt, for example, contains about a quarter of the calcium most people need in a day, she said.
Other calcium-rich foods include beans; tofu; calcium-fortified plant milks; small bone-in fish like sardines; and leafy green vegetables like kale and collard greens.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, which is crucial for maintaining strong bones because it helps your body absorb calcium from food, is synthesized in the skin after it is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet B rays. But the skin’s ability to do this synthesizing declines with age, Dr. Dawson-Hughes said.
Certain vitamin D-rich foods can help make up for that loss. These include rainbow trout, salmon, canned tuna, mushrooms, egg yolks and milk, in addition to foods and drinks that are fortified with the vitamin, like some orange juices, plant milks and cereals.
Those between the ages of 1 and 70 need 600 IU (international units) per day, and those 70 and older need 800 IU daily. But it’s challenging for most people to reach those requirements with food alone, Dr. Shapses said …
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