Milk Can Make Your Bones Stronger

April 26, 2011

It is very important to maintain good bone health early on in life. This will help to prevent bone problems such as osteoporosis from setting in. Osteoporosis causes the bones to become fragile and increases the risk of fractures. Taking care of the bones during the childhood and adolescence years will help to keep such problems at bay.

Strength of the bones is enhanced through the intake of adequate calcium. Regular weight bearing exercises during the pre-teen and teenage years also helps to improve the health and functioning of the bones as this is the time when most bone growth occurs. Individuals belonging to these age groups have specific calcium requirements which cannot be made up later in life.

During the time of peak skeletal growth, about 25 percent of adult bone is established. At around the age of 17 years when teenagers are just passed their growth spurts, 90 percent of adult bone mass is built. The calcium from the bone is continuously removed and replaced naturally.

If a larger amount of calcium is removed by the body for other bodily requirements, the bones may become weaker and the chances of breaking may increase.

Ensuring that the body is getting sufficient calcium from a young age will help to prevent excess calcium loss from the bones. Bones have their own calcium stores and allowing the body to deposit adequate amounts of calcium during the pre-teen and teen years will enable the body to achieve its peak bone mass.

After the age of 18 years, one cannot deposit more calcium and only that which is already present is utilized.

Calcium can be obtained from many foods. Milk and other dairy products are excellent sources of calcium.

Most children get their daily requirement of calcium from three cups of milk, either low fat or fat free milk. However, extra servings of calcium are also necessary so that the target of 1300 mg of calcium is met. Low fat and fat free milk are good sources of calcium also because they have very little or no fat content at all. The calcium present in low fat and fat free milk and other dairy products is also absorbed easily by the body. Milk also contains vitamin D which enables the bones to absorb calcium in a better manner. In addition, milk and milk products also supply other important nutrients to the body which are necessary for good bone health.