I need an explanation for this Nutrition question to help me study.
Discussion IV: Osteoporosis, Calcium, and Bone Development and Disintegration
Osteoporosis by literal definition is ‘porous bone’. This means the body has reduced bone mass and bone strength. Calcium is an important nutrient that is required to develop strong bones during our formative years, and keep bones strong as we age. If the body is calcium-deficient, osteoporosis can set in and continue to disintegrate our bones over time. The relationship between calcium and strong bones is vital in preventing fractures and breaks which can occur since we are susceptible to falls as we get older.
Our bones house almost all of the body’s calcium. With that said, it isn’t difficult to understand the importance of calcium in our body. Calcium’s best friend is Vitamin D (‘D’). These two nutrients work together as D helps the body to absorb calcium. This is especially important at the bookends of our lifespan – adolescence and late adulthood. As children’s epiphyseal plates are open while they grow, their bodies need increased amounts of calcium and D to keep up with their accelerated rate of growth during these years. A deficiency at this time sets the stage for risk of fractures in adolescence and into the future. Consuming foods that are high in calcium and D and avoiding things like sodas and foods that are nutrient-depleted are the keys to ensuring growing bodies receive proper nutrition. Prevention is the best medicine and moms are always right – drink your milk!
Even if we keep up our calcium and D levels during our lifetime, we can still fall victim to osteoporosis later in life. Our bodies lose the ability to make D as we age which in turn leads to reduced absorption of calcium. This is where supplements come into play. Although obtaining our nutrients from food is most ideal, nutritional supplements in the form of vitamins can vastly improve our required levels. Exercise is also an important factor in increasing the mineral content in bones. Muscles pull on bones and create osteoblasts which strengthen our bones. Even though we lose calcium when we sweat, that loss is usually balanced by the gain of osteoblasts during weight/resistance training.
When our bodies need calcium they take it from the main source – bones. The process of obtaining this calcium comes from the break down and buildup of bones, called bone remodeling. As we grow, our bodies’ rate of building bone outpaces the breakdown of bone. That equation is reversed once we hit our mid-30s when our bodies breakdown bone faster than they can build it. This leads to the hallmark signs of osteoporosis – reduced bone mass and strength. Women are at a higher risk for osteoporosis after menopause because the bone breakdown rate increases even more at this stage in life.
Calcium and D are vitally important nutrients throughout our lives to keep our bones strong to resist against injury and prevent osteoporosis. Diet and exercise are our first lines of defense in this arena and, if necessary, calcium and D supplements can pick up the slack. It is never too early to manage our nutritional health and in doing so, our bodies will be in optimal shape to protect and safely carry us into late adulthood and beyond.
References
Blake, J. (2020). Nutrition & You (5th ed.). Pearson. Retrieved from https://reader.yuzu.com/#/books/9780135217009/cfi/…
Osteoporosis: Symptoms, Causes, Tests & Treatment. (2020). Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/444…
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