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milligrams of calcium at a time). Over the age of sixty, women need 1,600 milligrams of calcium a day to keep their bones the youngest and strongest possible. (Those amounts refer to actual calcium, not calcium combined with citrate or carbonate; if you choose supplements with citrate or carbonate, check the label for that supplement’s actual amount of calcium.) You’ve surely seen enough milk-mustaches ads to know that there’s a lot of calcium in dairy foods such as milk, cheese, and yogurt. But the problem is that most American adults don’t eat enough of these foods to get the minimum daily requirement. If you do hit the mark, make sure that you choose low-fat or fat-free versions of dairy foods, because the extra fat often leads to too much saturated fat a day (more than 20 grams a day ages you). That saturated fat causes inflammation in your arteries, increases your chance of immune dysfunctions and cancer, and causes weight gain—which, as you know, can have a negative effect on your bones and joints. Other foods rich in calcium include green, leafy vegetables. You can eat these foods to complement your calcium intake, and if you do get a lot of calcium in your diet, you can adjust the amount you take through supplements. To make sure calcium is properly absorbed, add an additional 20 milligrams of calcium for every twelve-ounce caffeinated soft drink or four-ounce cup of coffee you drink. And for every thirty minutes of sweating exercise, add an additional 100 milligrams (calcium comes out in sweat). But in all situations, choose that 1,000 to 1,600 milligrams a day to build bones stronger than redwoods. If you want to choose a great calcium supplement, don’t do what desperate game-show contestants do—guess. Take charge—it is your body—and read the labels. You want one with 600 milligrams of calcium at a time, plus 200 milligrams of magnesium and 200 IU of vitamin D (see why below) and in a size and taste that you can swallow. If it takes four pills to get the dosage right and that works for you, great. If candy helps you, great (as long as the candy has real chocolate and no trans or milk fats). If you enjoy your doses in four glasses of low-fat milk, perfect. There are lots of ways to do it right; just avoid things that have iron in them (iron inhibits calcium’s absorption, and you typically get enough iron from food; if you’re anemic and take calcium, take the iron two hours apart from the calcium). Also, calcium needs an acidic environment for absorption, so calcium in an antacid that neutralizes acid may not be optimal.
VITAMIN D AND MAGNESIUM If calcium is the ingredient that absolutely, positively has to get to your bones on time, then vitamin D is FedEx. Essentially, vitamin D increases the absorption of calcium, making it more efficient to deliver calcium to your bones so they can stay strong. Besides being essential for good bone health, it also may be effective for your joints. Recent studies show that vitamin D may help slow the progression of arthritis. People who had high levels of vitamin D experienced less joint deterioration than those who had lower levels. Individuals with low levels of D and calcium were three more times more likely to suffer from, and age from, arthritis. You can get vitamin D from three sources: the sun, food, and vitamin supplements. The sun actually triggers a chemical reaction that turns inactive vitamin D into active vitamin D, but most people aren’t exposed to enough sun to get the recommended amount of D (and prolonged exposure can increase your risk of skin cancer; sunblock also blocks the vitamin D conversion). Also, between October 1 and April 15, the sun does not have enough energy north of the line that
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