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In our last HealthBeat report, Dr. Kim Mulvihill told us just how important calcium is in our diet. But what if you can't get enough calcium in your diet alone?
Dr. Kim has that answer in part two of her special report, the "Calcium Calculator."
Jane Tien is a registered dietician with California Pacific Medical Center. She says most people think dairy foods are good sources of calcium, but that's not always the case.
"Cottage cheese is not really that high in calcium. Cottage cheese only really gives you about 80 or 90 milligrams of calcium, compared with half a cup of milk that would give you at least 150 milligrams of calcium," she says.
And make sure you read labels carefully. For example, some cereals are fortified with calcium and contain 60 percent of the recommended daily allowance. Others are not, and have zero.
As with any nutrient, the best way to get calcium is from food rather than a pill.
But what if you can't get enough from your diet?
There are plenty of supplements to choose from-- calcium, carbonate, glutonate, citrate, with magnesium, from coral. So how do you know which is best for you?
Dr. John Swartzberg of UC Berkeley explains, "There are a few rules of thumb about supplements. One is calcium, and don't go spend a ton of money on these specially advertised things. So buy the least expensive one that says on it USP-- that stands for U.S. Pharmacopia-- and that just means it's going to be dissolved and absorbed into your system."
And if you take supplements, remember to split them up throughout the day because your body can only absorb 500 milligrams at a time. Any more than that and your body just flushes it out.
But if you want strong bones, getting enough calcium is only part of the story. The rest is exercise. Weight bearing exercises like running, walking, or weight lifting can help increase bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
The best time to do that is in your teens, but it's never too late. In fact studies show that exercise can help you strengthen your bones throughout your life, helping prolong the length and quality of your life.
Getting enough calcium can also boost HDL, the so-called good cholesterol. However, it is possible to get too much calcium. Taking more than 2,500 milligrams a day could put you at increased risk of kidney stones.
