Calcium is the most abundantly found mineral in the body. It is necessary for the contraction of muscles, dilation of the arteries, nerve signal transmission and hormone secretion. Almost 99 percent of the calcium found in the body is stored in your skeleton and teeth. Your bones are constantly remodeled, with resorption and the building of new bone. After the age of approximately 30 years, resorption occurs faster than rebuilding, and you must get adequate levels of calcium through the diet to prevent bone density loss over the years. After menopause, a decrease in the hormone estrogen causes bone density loss to increase, leading to the bone disease osteoporosis. Taking the correct calcium dosage through ingested foods and supplements is especially important in menopause.
Step 1
See your primary care physician to asses your bone density loss. Discuss the needed calcium dosage per day through foods and supplements. If your bone density loss is severe, your doctor may recommend a prescription medication.
Step 2
Evaluate a recommended dietary allowance or RDA table for calcium, such as the one found at National Institutes of Health site. The average age of menopause is 51 years and the recommended daily calcium intake for women aged 51 to 70 years is approximately 1,000 to 1,200 mg.
Step 3
Calculate how much calcium you are getting through your diet by using a food source for calcium table, such as the posted online by the National Institutes of Health. If your regular daily diet does not meet these requirements, add foods that are rich in calcium such as an 8-oz. serving of yogurt which contains 415 mg calcium.
Step 4
Prepare a meal plan that allows you to get the necessary calcium. Purchase foods that are high in this mineral, such as canned sardines, dairy products, orange juice and tofu.
Step 5
Take a calcium supplement to complement your diet and meet the recommended dietary allowance when your diet doesn't contain sufficient calcium. Supplements contain between 200 mg to 600 mg calcium. Check the label for the dosage.
Also take a vitamin D supplement as this nutrient is needed for calcium absorption in the body.
Tips and Warnings
- Get regular physical activity weight-bearing exercises which also help to build bone mass in conjunction with a calcium-rich diet. Calcium tablets are usually sold as calcium carbonate and calcium citrate; both provide equal amounts of calcium.
- Supplements and medication alone are not adequate for bone and overall health. Eat a balanced diet in addition to other treatments. If you are taking calcium supplements, check the label to confirm whether the correct dosage requires one or two tablets per day. Menopausal women with progressive osteoporosis will require medication; have your bone density checked regularly.
Things You'll Need
- Calcium supplements
- Vitamin D supplement
- Prescription calcium supplement
- Recommended Daily Allowance table for calcium
- Food source for calcium table
- Calculator
- Meal plan
References
- National Institutes of Health: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Calcium
- "The New England Journal of Medicine"; Calcium Plus Vitamin D Supplementation and the Risk of Fractures; Rebecca D. Jackson, M.D., et al.; Feb. 16, 2006
- Cleveland Clinic.com: Menopause and Osteoporosis
- University of Michigan Health System: Calcium and Vitamin D
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