Part of a healthy diet to prevent or manage osteoporosis includes getting enough calcium and vitamin D. However, controlling your sodium intake is also essential to keep your bones strong. The current recommendations for salt intake for heart disease are the same for osteoporosis. If you are concerned about how much sodium intake is safe, speak with your physician.
Osteoporosis
Throughout life the bones go through a constant process of breaking down old bone and replacing it with new bone. With age, bone starts to break down faster than it is replaced; if you do not get enough calcium or vitamin D, you might lose too much bone and develop osteoporosis, according to the Office of Dietary Supplements. Most adults need about 1,000 to 1,200 mg of calcium each day. Several factors including salt intake can affect how much your body absorbs.
Sodium
Many foods, including sodium, can interfere with the body's ability to absorb calcium. Sodium causes the body to retain water; when there is too much fluid in the body, the kidneys try to excrete it along with the sodium. Eating excessive amounts of sodium also can increase the amount of calcium the kidneys excrete, according to the National Osteoporosis Foundation. Your daily calcium need increases in direct proportion to the amount of sodium you consume.
Prevention
Too much sodium intake is more of a concern if your intake of calcium is low. According to a report in the "Journal of the American College of Nutrition," as long as calcium intake is at or above the daily recommended amount, a high sodium intake may not contribute to bone loss. Osteoporosis and bone loss can occur without producing any symptoms; sometimes a fracture is the first warning sign. If you are concerned about your sodium and calcium intake, your doctor can run blood tests to check your levels. In addition, regular bone density tests are essential to detect bone loss before it becomes too severe.
Recommendations
A general recommendation is to limit sodium intake to no more than 1,500 mg every day, according to the American Dietetic Association. Read nutrition labels to see how much sodium is in a serving of food. Processed foods and restaurant foods tend to be high in sodium. Experiment with using herbs and salt-free seasonings to flavor food when cooking, and avoid adding salt to table food. Go for fresh fruits and vegetables when possible, and soon you may find that your craving for salt diminishes.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Calcium
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: Strategies for Osteoporosis
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition: Role of Dietary Sodium in Osteoporosis; Robert P. Heaney, M.D. 2006
- American Dietetic Association: American Dietetic Association Supports Institute of Medicine recommendations for Decreasing Sodium Intake; 2010
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