Calcium citrate is Youssef s favorite form, since it s easily used by the body and isn t as likely as other forms to cause kidney stones. Women who are nursing or have gone through menopause should take about 2,500 milligrams a day, he added. Men under 30 should get about 1,500 milligrams per day through their diet, he said, while those over 30 should take 1,500 milligrams in supplements and those with a history of osteoporosis in the family should take 2,000 milligrams. As with women, it s best to take the daily dose 200-500 milligrams at a time. Doing weight-bearing exercise, such as walking, jogging or riding a bicycle, also helps bones stay strong.
Smoking does just the opposite.
So does drinking those fizzy drinks, since they may be driving the body to save itself by cannibalizing whatever calcium is in the bones. Contents copyright 2000, the Durango Herald. All rights reserved.