Building strong bones

By Times staff
© St. Petersburg Times
published November 5, 2002

• To build strong bones, a person should:
• Eat calcium-fortified foods such as orange juice, cereals and milk.
• Eat calcium-rich foods including milk, yogurt, cheese, salmon, sardines, spinach, kale and collard greens.
• Consider calcium supplements of 500 to 600 milligrams twice a day; women, teenagers and men 65 and older may need 1,500 milligrams a day.
• Consider additional vitamin D -- 800 rather than the recommended 400 international units daily -- if elderly.
• Exercise. Walking, jogging or playing tennis is good; workouts with weights are better. Improved strength, balance and mobility also help prevent fracture-causing falls.
• Quit smoking.
• Limit alcohol consumption, which interferes with calcium absorption, to one drink per day for women, two for men.
• Limit coffee and soft drink consumption, which interferes with calcium absorption.
• Discuss hormone therapy or other bone-building medications with a physician if a menopausal woman or if other risk factors for osteoporosis are present.

SOURCES: National Institutes of Health; Dr. Richard Orlan of St. Anthony's Healthcare; Jane E. Brody of the New York Times.

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