Calcium and vitamin D – protection for the bones

To ensure that our bones do not become brittle in old age, we have to create a stable basis when we are young. A sufficient intake of calcium and vitamin D makes an important contribution to the prevention of bone loss and osteoporosis. Find out which foods are particularly healthy for the bones and what the consequences of an overdose of vitamin D can be.

Brittle bones with age

Our bones are by no means rigid, dead tissue, it is rather an extremely metabolically active organ in which remodeling processes are constantly taking place. They consist mainly of connective tissue, which is responsible for elasticity, and to a large extent of calcium, which provides hardness and resilience.

As we age, our bones lose strength, they slowly become brittle and break more easily. Hormones also play an important role here: after  menopause , women are  particularly at risk of developing osteoporosis – the technical term for weak bones. This is shown, for example, by the fact that older women suffer a  fracture more often  than younger women when they fall.

Calcium stabilizes the bones

In order to maintain the resilience of the bones, it is important to consume enough calcium with food from a young age. For an adequate supply of calcium, the German Society for Nutrition (DGE) recommends 1,000 milligrams of calcium daily. Adolescents between the ages of 13 and 15 should even consume 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day.

From around the age of 30, the bones hardly store any new calcium. It is all the more important to start eating a calcium-rich diet at an early stage.

calcium in food

Foods rich in calcium are particularly  milk  and milk products. If you don’t like milk, you can just as easily  use yoghurt , quark and  cheese  . But   there are also good sources of calcium for vegans  and people with  lactose intolerance .

The following foods are particularly rich in calcium:

• Particularly mature  cheeses  such as soft, sliced ​​and hard cheese contain a lot of calcium. The following applies: the harder the cheese, the higher the calcium content. Cheeses with a lower fat content contain more calcium than cheeses with a higher fat content.
• Milk and sour milk products are also   good sources of calcium. Heat treatment and fat content have little influence on the calcium content.
• Plant foods  such as broccoli,  kale ,  chard ,  nuts  and seeds also contain significant amounts of calcium  .
• Calcium-rich mineral water (> 150 milligrams/litre) also   contributes to the supply of the important  mineral .

Vitamin D promotes calcium absorption

In order to store calcium in the bones, the body needs vitamin D to help, which we also ingest with food. Above all, however, the  sun  plays an important role in the supply of vitamin D. Without the vitamin, not only is the absorption of calcium in the bones more difficult: a lack of vitamin D can even promote the breakdown of calcium from the bones.

In addition to a healthy and balanced diet, regular exposure to fresh air promotes the body’s own production of the vitamin, because vitamin D can also be produced in the skin under the influence of UV light. Therefore, stay outdoors as often as possible and enjoy the sun.

Regular exercise in the fresh air and sun not only promotes vitamin D conversion, it also trains the muscles and stimulates your  metabolism  . The bones stay strong and don’t break easily.

However, the skin’s ability to produce vitamin D itself decreases with age. In winter, due to less sunshine, less “skin vitamin” is converted. It is therefore important to get vitamin D from an appropriate diet.

Foods high in vitamin D

In order to cover the necessary need for calcium and vitamin D, one should eat particularly consciously. The following foods provide a good supply of vitamin D:

• Sea fish, especially fatty fish such as salmon, herring, sardines or mackerel
• Lebertran
• egg yolk
• Mushrooms, such as porcini or shiitake mushrooms
• cow’s milk and dairy products
• Avocado

Need for vitamin D

20 micrograms of vitamin D should be taken daily. However, it is hardly possible to cover this daily dose with food alone. If the production of vitamin D via the skin is not possible in sufficient quantity and there is a vitamin D deficiency, a doctor can be consulted. If necessary, he or she will recommend the use of dietary supplements.

However, due to a possible overdose, such preparations should not be taken without prior consultation with a doctor. It is also controversial whether such preparations are also suitable for the prevention of osteoporosis.

Dietary supplements: Avoid overdosing

If you consume too much vitamin D over a long period of time, the intestines can absorb too much calcium and the bones can release more calcium. This is followed by  hypercalcaemia  – an increased level of calcium in the blood, combined with symptoms such as muscle weakness,  depression  or digestive tract problems.

The Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) therefore recommends a  maximum intake of vitamin D  from food supplements of 20 micrograms per day.  The BfR has also issued a recommendation for the  additional intake of calcium via food supplements: the maximum amount here is 500 milligrams per day.