What mineral is responsible for making bones strong and healthy?
Question: What mineral is responsible for making bones strong and healthy?
If you want to have strong and healthy bones, you need to pay attention to your intake of certain minerals. Minerals are essential nutrients that help your body perform various functions, including building and maintaining bone tissue. In this blog post, we will discuss what mineral is responsible for making bones strong and healthy, and how you can get enough of it from your diet or supplements.
The most important mineral for bone health is **calcium**. Calcium is the main component of your bones, and it gives them their strength and structure. Calcium also helps your muscles contract, your nerves transmit signals, your blood clot, and your heart beat. Your body cannot produce calcium on its own, so you need to get it from external sources.
According to the Harvard Health website, calcium is the building material for strong bones. Vitamin D helps your intestines absorb calcium into the bloodstream, which delivers it to your bones, muscles, and other body tissues. However, if you don't get enough calcium from your diet, your body will take it from your bones to maintain normal blood levels. This can lead to bone loss and increased risk of fractures.
The recommended daily intake of calcium for adults is 1,000 mg per day, and 1,200 mg per day for women over 50 and men over 70. You can get calcium from a variety of foods, such as dairy products, leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, beans, tofu, fortified cereals, and orange juice. You can also take calcium supplements if you have trouble meeting your needs from food alone.
However, calcium is not the only mineral that matters for bone health. You also need **phosphorus**, which works together with calcium to form the mineral crystals that give your bones their hardness and durability. Phosphorus also helps regulate the acid-base balance in your body, and supports the function of your cells and tissues.
About 85% of the phosphorus in your body is found in your bones and teeth, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center website. The recommended daily intake of phosphorus for adults is 700 mg per day. You can get phosphorus from foods such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy products, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes. You should avoid consuming too much phosphorus from processed foods or soft drinks, as this can interfere with calcium absorption and harm your bones.
In conclusion, calcium and phosphorus are the two minerals that make bones strong and healthy. You should aim to get enough of these minerals from a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods from different food groups. You can also consult your doctor about taking supplements if you have a medical condition or a dietary restriction that affects your mineral intake.
0 Komentar
Post a Comment