Calcium’s source important

Calcium is the key to maintaining bone health and preventing osteoporosis, which affects about 8 million women across the country. In order to decrease their risk of osteoporosis, many women have turned to calcium supplements to meet their daily needs. However, a new study highlights the importance of natural calcium, not calcium from an artificial source.

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis report that women who get calcium from foods have healthier bones than women who take calcium supplements. Results of the study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, are surprising because women who take calcium supplements tend to report a higher average calcium intake.

In the study, researchers monitored the calcium intake in 183 post-menopausal women who fell into three groups – women who received at least 70 percent of their daily calcium intake from supplements, women who received at least 70 percent of their daily calcium intake from food and women whose calcium intake fell between these two groups.

The results indicated that the women who received most of their calcium from foods actually received less calcium than their supplement-taking counterparts, but they had higher bone density in their spines and hipbones.

Dairy foods, a major source of calcium, contain estrogenic compounds. Estrogen is known to maintain bone mineral density, which explains why the women receiving calcium from their diets had higher bone density.

Additionally, some calcium supplements should be taken with a meal, so women who aren’t aware of these limitations may not be receiving the maximum amount of calcium. Ultimately, the body absorbs only 35 percent of the calcium in most supplements.

If you’re taking a calcium supplement, consider trying the natural route. In addition to calcium-rich dairy foods, calcium-fortified orange juice and dark green, leafy vegetables can provide the calcium your body needs.