Osteopenia is the precursor to the development of osteoporosis. Think of osteopenia as a warning from your body, telling you that your bones are weak. If you don't take action they may become brittle enough to be considered osteoporotic. Your intake of vitamin D and calcium can prevent osteoporosis and improve your osteopenia.
How Bone Works
Your bones are constantly changing: Old bone breaks down while new bone forms. This process continues throughout your entire life, but the rate of breakdown and buildup is in your favor until the years of peak bone mass. The hardest bone you will have is your peak bone mass, which occurs between 25 and 30 years of age. After that, the breakdown of bone can exceed the buildup. If this tendency becomes substantial enough you may be diagnosed with osteopenia, a condition that means your bones are turning porous and weak.
Evidence for Vitamin D and Calcium
Your intake of both vitamin D and calcium can affect your bone health. A deficiency in either of these nutrients can lead to or even worsen osteopenia. A study published in the "European Journal of Nutrition" in December 2010 looked at the effects of dietary calcium and vitamin D in those most susceptible to osteopenia, post-menopausal women. The subjects were either in a group whose dietary intake of vitamin D and calcium was supplemented at 1,200 mg and 7.5 mcg, respectively, per day, and a control group that received neither. After 30 months, the women receiving dietary intervention had favorable changes in bone metabolism, growth and density.
Mechanism of Action
Vitamin D and calcium work together to promote bone growth and health. Vitamin D in the blood, when converted to its active form, dihydroxyvitamin D, is catabolized into calcitroic acid that, when released into the digestive system through bile, aids in the absorption of dietary calcium. Dietary intake of calcium is essential because your body uses your skeletal system as a calcium reserve. Without enough calcium in your diet, your body will steal the calcium from your bones to use elsewhere.
Recommendations and Sources
Calcium and vitamin D recommendations vary by age. Adults under 50 years old should take in 1,000 mg of calcium and between 400 and 600 IU of vitamin D daily. For those ages 50 and older, calcium intake should increase to 1,200 mg per day and suggested vitamin D intake jumps to between 800 and 1,000 IU per day. Calcium is found in an abundance of dietary sources including dairy, vegetables and even some fish. Vitamin D, on the other hand, is not found in many foods. In fact, most of your intake of vitamin D comes from the sunlight. Your body absorbs the sun's rays and uses them to produce vitamin D inside of your body.
Before increasing your dietary intake or starting a vitamin or mineral supplement, always consult your physician. Certain vitamins and minerals may worsen existing medical conditions or even interact negatively with medications you are taking. Speak with your doctor regarding the safest course of action.
References
- Harvard Health Publications: Osteopenia: When Your Have Weak Bones, But Not Osteoporosis
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: How Bones Change and Grow
- "European Journal of Nutrition"; Calcium and Vitamin D Supplementation Through Fortified Dairy Products Counterbalances Seasonal Variations of Bone Metabolism Indices: The Post Menopausal Health Study; R. Tenta, et al.; December 2010
- "Nutrition: Concepts and Controversies"; Frances Sizer and Eleanor Whitney; 2004.
- "New England Journal of Medicine"; Vitamin D Deficiency; Michael F. Holick, M.D., PhD.; 2007
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: Calcium: What You Should Know
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