Bone Care in the New Normal: How Vitamin D & Calcium Can Help
In a global pandemic, staying indoors to avoid crowds is the new normal. For most of us, that means decreased physical activity and less sunlight exposure. This can lead to poor bone density as it affects our calcium retention and vitamin D intake. But you can learn how to take better care of your bones to prevent diseases like osteoporosis. One way to do this is by knowing what vitamins and minerals you need to avoid bone loss.
Calcium
Calcium is an important mineral in our body. It is known to build bones and keep it healthy. Aside from that, it also helps with optimizing blood pressure, blood clot, muscle contraction, and nerve function. No wonder our parents taught us to drink our milk; dairy is a good source of calcium.
99% of our calcium is stored in our bones and teeth, but in new normal conditions, we can experience bone loss. Regular exercise builds and maintains bone strength. But since we are less active in more confined spaces like our homes, our bone health is compromised. We can also lose calcium through our skin, nails, hair, sweat, among other ways we drive out minerals from our body.
Unfortunately, our bodies cannot produce its own calcium. We have to get it from the food we eat. But especially for those with dietary restrictions, calcium supplementation is also recommended.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is closely related to calcium as it helps with calcium absorption. It aids in bone maintenance and development, preventing bone fractures and osteoporosis. It also helps in risk reduction of diabetes, certain forms of cancer, and heart disease. It can improve hypertension, help with psoriasis, and affect Alzheimer’s disease, depression, and multiple sclerosis.
Sunlight is crucial in getting enough vitamin D. If we can be under the sun for about 15 minutes a day, we may get our daily requirement of this vitamin. But since we are forced to spend most of our time indoors in the new normal, we might not get our needed dose of vitamin D.
We can turn to food. Certain types of fish like salmon, mackerel, and tuna have vitamin D, as do some meats and egg yolks. Unfortunately, the amount of vitamin D in food may not give you your needed daily dose, and not enough of this vitamin may put you at risk.
Aside from osteoporosis, a deficit in vitamin D can also put you at risk for osteomalacia. This is a bone disease where your body is unable to mineralize the bone and may cause weakness and even pain.
Much like calcium, our body doesn’t produce its own vitamin D. We need to get it from sunlight exposure, and food intake with diet supplementation.
Not a lot of people are aware of it, but new normal conditions put your bone health at risk. With decreased physical activity and less sunlight exposure, your calcium retention and vitamin D intake are affected. Taking calcium supplements may help strengthen bones and make joints flexible.
Sources:
https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2003/4/report
https://www.nof.org/patients/treatment/calciumvitamin-d/
https://orthoinfo.aaos.org/en/staying-healthy/exercise-and-bone-health/
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