# Timothy Neumann_1717 3294

Sourced: tcneumann Timothy Charles Photography
Sourced: tcneumann Timothy Charles Photography

# Calcium and Healthy Bones
## Strong, Healthy Bones

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare defines a very common bone disease known as "Osteoporosis" as the onset of reduced bone strength. This may lead to the forming of pores or holes in the bone, making them very weak. The reduced strength of 'porous' bones, may lead to a high chance of bone fracture. This is very common is older people resulting in a greater risk of falling, causing serious injury.

### Who is Most At Risk?

* Who Does it Typically Effect?This is a graph illustrated in "Arthritis and Osteoporosis in Australia 2008" presented by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. What the graph identifies is the prevalence of diagnosed Osteoporosis in Australia during 2007-2008 in both Males and Females.
* It is known, that a change in bone regulation occurs during older age, compared to younger living people. In young adults the rate of bone formation and bone breakdown is much the same, so bones maintain their solid structure. This change takes places in older adults (55 years +) and particularly in menopausal women, where bone 'resorption' (loss of calcium from bones) takes place more faster than bone formation.
* This table by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare shows those people most affected by Osteoporosis in Australia during 2007-2008.
* Why is Osteoporosis Risk Affected by Age?
* The mechanism for enhanced breakdown of bone structure or 'matrix' is due to reduced 'estrogen' hormone production that takes place during Postmenopause females, which often occurs in women 55-65 years of age.
* Estrogen, plays an active role in calcium absorption from the diet as well as the uptake of calcium into the bones known as 'mineralization', required for strong healthy bone structure.
* With a reduced production of the hormone following menopause, the female body experiences a reduced bone 'mineralization' and this results in reduced bone-calcium content. For this reason females particularly, over 55 years of age are at great risk of bone frailty and therefore have higher risk of injury by bone fracture and fall. For this reason it is important to enhance and optimize calcium intake through the diet.

## Dietary Calcium
### Why is Calcium Important?

Calcium is a very essential mineral recommended in the diet, due to its important roles within the human body and the processes it is involved in. A scientific study investigating calcium and its role in the body throughout life describes the central roles that calcium play in bone and teeth structure (mineralization), promoting strong bones.. It explains that calcium is also required for maintaining body cells, enzymes and hormone actions, all critical for life. Calcium plays a role in brain and nerve activity (transmission), is a component of muscle flexing and relaxing, this is known as 'contraction', and is vital for heart function.

### How much Calcium is Suggested?

* How much Calcium is Suggested?
* According to the Australian Dietary Guidelines most Australian residents consume only half of their recommended quantity of calcium intake
* The Eat for Health, Australian Dietary Guidelines prepared by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) suggests that 1300mg of calcium is the ideal dietary intake quantity to optimize health and prolong bone and neurological related disease. The Australian Dietary Guidelines is a well- resourced body of evidence providing recommendations for the optimal intake of different of nutrients required to promote good health to Australians. The following table illustrates the increased calcium intake recommended for older males and females to promote strong healthy bones and support calcium-dependent processes.
* MenRecommended Dietary Intake (RDI)WomenRecommended Dietary Intake (RDI)
* 19-30 yr.1000mg / day19-30 yr.1000mg / day.
* 31-51 yr.1000mg / day31-50 yr.1000mg / day.
* 51-70 yr.1000mg / day51-70 yr.1300mg / day.
* > 70 yr.1300mg / day> 70 yr.1300mg / day.
* (Nutrient Reference Values (NRVs) Sourced from

### Dietary Calcium Requirements

* What does 1300mg of Calcium look like?
* The NHMRC highlights the need for an increased intake of Calcium during older age from a recommended dietary intake of 1000mg of calcium in middle aged adults (31-50 years) to 1300mg in the progression of older age (55 > 75 years+).
* How many Serves of Dairy is that?
* The most commonly thought of calcium source that comes to mind when we’re asked to consider dietary calcium intake is dairy products, and the recommended intake can certainly be obtained in this way.
* Serves of Dairy/ day required to obtain RDI
* 19-50 yrs.51-70 yrs.>70 yrs.
* Males2 1/2 serves2 1/2 serves3 1/2 serves
* Females2 1/2 serves4 serves4 serves
* However, the NHMRC supports and encourages the diversifying of dietary nutrient intake, utilizing quick, easy meal ideas, through efficient menu planning and meal preparation, particularly among older people.
* This can be achieved by considering the dietary calcium sources of foods from the | NHMRC’s Australian Dietary Guidelines

### Where else can Dietary Calcium be found?

* Where else can Dietary Calcium be found?
* Calcium can be found not only in milk but also in hundreds of varieties of vegetables, nuts, seeds, cheeses and assorted fish varieties (with edible bones), some examples of which are listed below:
* Food SourceCalcium Content % RDI (1300mg)/ 100g
* Per 100gPer Serving
* Almonds250mg/ 100g75mg/ 30g19% RDI/ 100g
* Broccoli33mg/ 100g43mg/ 1 cup2% RDI/ 100g
* Low Fat Mozzarella Cheese950mg/ 100g269mg/ 28g73% RDI 100g
* Almond (Chocolate) Milk251mg/ 100g502mg/ 1 cup19% RDI/ 100g
* Yoghurt, Natural244mg/ 100mL488mg/ 200mL18% RDI/ 100g
* Pak Choy (Dark Leafy Green Veg)123mg/ 100g822mg/ 1 head (840g)9% RDI/ 100g
* Pink Salmon, Canned (with edible bones)310mg/ 100g310mg/ 1 tin (100g)23% RDI/ 100g
* Chia Seeds631mg/ 100g180mg/ 30g49% RDI/ 100g
* Sesame Seeds975mg/ 100g390mg/ 30g75% RDI/ 100g
* Tahini (Sesame Seed Paste)426mg/ 100g121mg/ 30g32% RDI/ 100g
* Soy Beans277mg/ 100g515mg/ 1 cup21% RDI/ 100g
* Fortified Soy Products e.g. Tofu320mg/ 100g48mg/ piece (13g)24% RDI/ 100g
* Rhubarb26mg/ 100g105mg/ cup (122g)2% RDI/ 100g
* Whey Powder796mg/ 100g64mg/ tbsp61% RDI/ 100g
* (Nutrient composition sourced from Food Standards Australia and New Zealand (FSANZ) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) )

## For More Information

More information regarding the association between Vitamin D status and Calcium absorption and Bone Mineralisation is presented here in a 2013 edition of the Medical Journal of Australia by a team of Australian Research team
General Bone Health, Nutritional and Lifestyle Information for Bone Disease prevention for Older People can be found at Osteoporosis Australia
Another chapter in this Healthy eating habits Wikibook, found under Calcium in the Diet prepared by another 4th Year Dietetics student outlines further material on Dietary Calcium Intake.

## References

* ↑ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neumann_Calcium_Bone_Health_Juggle.jpg.
* ↑ https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neumann_Calcium_Sources_and_Bone_Health.jpg
* 1 2 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2013). AIHW Authoritative information and statistics to promote better health and wellbeing. Retrieved from http://www.aihw.gov.au/
* ↑ Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2008). Arthritis and Osteoporosis in Australia. p14. Retrieved from https://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=6442459795
* ↑ Marks R., Allegrante J. P., MacKenzie C. R. & Lane J. M. (2003). Hip fractures among the elderly: Causes, Consequences and Control. Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. vol. 2 (1) pp57-93. doi:10.1016/S1568-1637(02)00045-4.
* ↑ Brown J. P., Albert C, Nassar B. A., Adachi J. D., Cole D, Davison K. S., Dooley K. C., Don-Wauchope A, Douville P, Hanley D. A., Jamal S. A., Josse R., Kaiser S., Krahn J., Krause R., Kremer R., Lepage R., Letendre E., Morin S, Ooi D. S., Papaioaonnou A. & Ste-Marie L. G. (2009). Bone turnover markers in the management of osteoporosis. Clinical Biochemistry: 42 (10-11), pp929-942. doi:10.1016/j.clinbiochem.2009.04.001
* ↑ Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2011). A snapshot of osteoporosis in Australia 2011. Canberra AIHW, pp 1-31. Retrieved from http://www.aihw.gov.au/WorkArea/DownloadAsset.aspx?id=10737418747&libID=10737418.
* ↑ WebMD. (2013). Your Health in Postmenopause. Retrieved from www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/health-after-menopause.
* ↑ The Free Dictionary. (2000). Frailty. Retrieved from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/frailty.
* 1 2 3 4 5 National Health and Medical Research Council. (2006). Nutrient Reference Values for Australia and New Zealand Including Recommended Dietary Intakes. NHMRC: pp155-163. Retrieved from http://www.nrv.gov.au/resources/_files/n35-calcium.pdf.
* ↑ Buppasiri P, Lumbiganon P, Thinkhamrop J, Ngamjarus C, Laopaiboon M. Calcium supplementation (other than for preventing or treating hypertension) for improving pregnancy and infant outcomes. Cochrane Collaboration Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 10, pp1-89. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD007079.pub2.
* 1 2 National Health and Medical Research Council. (2013). Australian Dietary Guidelines 2013, p4-24. Retrieved from http://www.nhmrc.gov.au/_files_nhmrc/publications/attachments/n55a_australian_dietary_guidelines_summary_131014.pdf.
* ↑ NHMRC. (2013). Healthy Eating When You’re Older. NHMRC. Retrieved from https://www.eatforhealth.gov.au/eating-well/healthy-eating-throughout-all-life/healthy-eating-when-you’re-older.
* ↑ Food Standards Australia and New Zealand. (2010). NUTTAB 2010 Online Searchable Database. Retrieved from http://archive.foodstandards.gov.au/consumerinformation/nuttab2010/nuttab2010onlinesearchabledatabase/onlineversion_code.cfm?&action=default.
* ↑ U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. (2013). USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 26. Nutrient Data Laboratory Home Page, Retrieved from http://www.ars.usda.gov/ba/bhnrc/ndl.
* ↑ Ebeling P.R., Daly R.M, Kerr D.A & Kimlin M.G. (2013). An evidence-informed strategy to prevent osteoporosis in Australia. The Medical Journal of Australia; 198 (2): 90-91. doi:10.5694/mja12.11363 www.mja.com.au/journal/2013/198/2/evidence-informed-strategy-prevent-osteoporosis-australia?0=ip_login_no_cache%3D0c8b67216c65dad50aa59dc53b6d2e1e.