Bone Health Vitamins

In today’s more health conscious world, all kinds of vitamin and mineral supplements are available. There are many people who use these products in an attempt to improve the quality of their health. One of the most popular types of supplement is calcium. Consumers have long been given information on the importance of calcium supplements for good bone health.

While everyone regardless of age or gender needs calcium for healthy bones, the biggest group of people who can benefit from a calcium supplement is postmenopausal women. These ladies are at a higher risk for osteoporosis. It has long been known that as we age, bone density lessens and our ability to produce more healthy bone cells diminishes. Many people in this group and others are taking the preemptive strike against bone loss by ensuring that they get the recommended amount of calcium each day.

Besides postmenopausal women, older people in general are finding that taking a calcium supplement is an excellent way to help reduce the risk of severe bone loss or fracture. Both men and women naturally lose some of the strength in their bones and the result is more brittle and fragile bone mass. Turning to the aid of a calcium supplement helps to hold off this often common problem. The hip is prone to breaking as the body ages. Another part of the skeleton frequently at risk for fracture is the shoulders. One minor fall could result in weeks or months of recuperation, even hospitalization.

When the natural production of estrogen and other female hormones declines during menopause bone density is quickly affected. Bone loss of 2%-3% each year during menopause is not uncommon. In addition to menopause being a risk factor for osteoporosis, women who are small boned, Asian or Caucasian, and have a family history of Osteoporosis are generally at higher risk. Taking preventative measures is one way women can avoid osteoporosis and take care of their bone health.

Of course younger people are not at as high a risk as those who are in or approaching their golden years, but it isn’t impossible for even younger groups to experience below average bone mass from inadequate calcium consumption or insufficient weight bearing exercise. Pregnancy and other hormonal changes take their toll on the quality of the bones as well. Everyone should be on the look out for their skeletal structures continued good health and strength.

Calcium rich foods and supplements help maintain blood calcium levels therefore reducing the need for calcium releases from the skeleton. Calcium intake helps keep bones strong and reduce the risk of hip fracture and other unnecessary bone breaks. In the case of osteoporosis, height is often lost as a result of the spine bending due to soft bone tissue. A calcium supplement or calcium rich foods, plus exercise, can help you slow the loss of height or other preventable effects to ensure a more satisfying, safer future.

When you are considering taking a calcium supplement, it’s important to be aware of the recommended intake for specific age groups and genders. Here is in the U.S., the recommended intake for young adults, 19 to 50, is 1000mg a day. After that age, the amount of calcium intake you should aim for is 1200mg. Vitamin D is often a part of bone health as well. Younger adults should generally take 5mg daily with the older adults advised to get 10mg.

If you are in doubt as to the importance of calcium supplements, take a look at how much money is spent annually in osteoporosis related insurance claims or medical costs. In Europe the number tops out at $37.6 billion with the U.S. reporting $17.5 billion. A good portion of that money probably was spent on osteoporosis related fractures. Of course those figures don’t add in the pain and recovery time needed to heal from such an injury or impact on quality of life of the individual. For more articles like this, visit www.BoneHealthVitamins.com

By: Craig Smith

Bone health vitamins and bone health supplements not only positively impact your bone health, but can also impact a variety of other health issues that you may be experiencing.  If you have questions about which vitamins and supplements are best for you, your bone health and your overall health, discuss those questions with your phsyician.

For those individuals that make the healthy life choice to exercise, additional vitamins and minerals may be necessary.It is entirely possible for an individual that works out to suddenly find him or herself faced with a vitamin and/or mineral deficiency.The latter fact is the result of the body’s rapid use of minerals and vitamins which are absorbed through natural, healthy food consumption.Therefore, getting vitamin supplements on a daily basis is highly recommended for those who work out each day.When an individual that exercises lacks the appropriate minerals and vitamins, he or she is also faced with diminished performance, potential fatigue, and other body ailments like cramping and pain after exercise.

A lack of the vitamin B-complex will result in a lack of stamina and potential fatigue.The recommended daily allowance of niacin, pantothenic acid, pyridoxine, riboflavin, and cobalmin vary.An individual that exercises regularly should get 15 mg of riboflavin daily, 25 mg of niacin, 10 mg of pantothenic acid, 15 mg of pyridoxine, and 6 mcg of cobalmin daily.Thiamine, another of the B complex vitamins, is necessary on a daily basis and an individual should get 50 mg daily.Vitamin B-complex works in unison in order to improve one’s metabolic rate, to keep one’s skin and muscles in healthy condition, to improve upon immunological functioning, and to encourage proper growth of cells.A deficiency of vitamin B-complexes can result in muscular pain, and other bodily ailments.

Over-the-counter vitamin supplements which can be taken daily can ensure that an individual gets the adequate amount of vitamin A, Biotin, Folic Acid, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, calcium, Chromium, Copper, Iodine, Iron, Magnesium, Manganese, Phosphorous, Selenium, and Zinc.Whether or not the individual works out strenuously or not, a vitamin supplement is recommended simply because the supplement can deliver to the body the vitamins that one may not consume in his or her regular diet.Food based vitamins are a better choice.

Individuals that work out on a regular basis tend to sweat profusely, and during the process of sweating, the body may diminish the amount of the zinc, iodine, and iron in the blood as well.Many over-the-counter vitamin supplements will help in replacing the diminished minerals that the body uses.Vitamins supplements can also deliver to the body additional calcium which is necessary for bone health, the transmission of nerve impulses, as well as the body’s ability to contract muscles properly.The more athletic an individual is, the more likely the individual require a supplement that replaces the minerals and vitamins mentioned above.

It might be a wise idea to visit a doctor to get a full physical before beginning any exercise program and after one has been exercising for a period of time.A doctor can perform blood work to determine whether or not there are any vitamin deficiencies and/or mineral deficiencies that need to be addressed either before any exercise program begins or after one has been working out for a while.

Author: Robin Reichert

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Robin_Reichert

Bone health vitamins and bone health supplements are key for women’s health, but also in men’s health as well.  If you have any questions about which bone health vitamins are best to impact your bone health, discuss your questions with your physician.  It is always best to discuss any changes to your health care routine, even vitamins and supplements, with your doctor first!

The Women Health magazine mentions in its May review — “While Food and Drug Administration daily value recommendations for vitamins haven’t changed since 1968, what we know about nutrition has.”  The Institute of Medicine has new recommendations for vitamins called dietary reference intakes.  

The main four essential multivitamin supplements that women require are

• Calcium,
• Vitamin D,
• Magnesium and
• Vitamin K

Finding the best brand of vitamin supplements can be quite difficult with so many brands to choose from on the market. Though this may seem to be impossible with every manufacturer saying they are the best, we have found it not to be the case. Today more so than before you can do your due diligence by finding reviews that independently compare vitamins. It is important to find a calcium pill that has Vit D in it as the Vit D helps in the best absorption of the calcium into your cells.

Calcium is best needed to help develop peak levels of bone mass in the growth years of a developing woman. If minerals such as calcium intakes are lower in the early years the onset of osteoporosis is quite common when adulthood is reached.

Marilyn Stephenson, a registered dietitian with FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition quotes “The most important time to get a sufficient amounts of calcium is while bone growth and consolidation are occurring, a period that continues until approximately age 30 to 35,” says Marilyn Stephenson, a registered dietitian with FDA’s Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. “The idea is, if you can build a maximum peak of calcium deposits early on, this may delay fractures that occur later in life.”

The supplementation of magnesium not only assist with proper absorption of calcium but also plays an important role in disease protection, lowering the risk of diabetes, heart disease and colon cancer. New DRIs say that we should be taking at least 320mgs a day of magnesium for best results.

Vitamin D is fat soluble and is sparingly found in foods, maybe found as an added nutrient to processed foods or maybe taken as a supplement pill. This special vitamin may also be produced by the action of ultra violet rays of the sun converting Vit D in our skin. For Vitamin D to be bio-available in our bodies it has to undergo a couple of changes in our body system for it to be beneficial and play its part in calcium absorption.

The importance of Vit D in our bodies especially women are that it helps in the calcium absorption in the intestine and helps to maintain required amounts of serum calcium and phosphate level concentrations which are important for bone mineralization and prevention of hypocalcemic tetany.

Hypocalcemic tetany means less serum calcium resulting in muscle spasms. The lack of Vit D will trigger bone brittleness and thinness such as found in patients suffering from rickets. Proper levels of Vit D helps prevent rickets in children. If you took adequate amounts of calcium along with Vit D the occurrence of osteoporosis in adults is reduced.

Vitamin K is an important ingredient that helps with bone health. Though Vit K has benefits you should alway consult your doctor if you are on medication as it can interfere with blood thinners in drugs.

What vitamins prenatal or pregnant women need for optimum health?

For women who are exercising regularly or are pregnant it is recommended that their iron intake should be increased as compared to females who are not. The reason why iron is important during this period is because it plays a vital role in helping hemoglobin to best deliver oxygen to our cells in greater amounts. The lack of or loss of iron will cause headaches, pallor and fatigue among women. Try taking a vitamin that has all the B complex supplements in it. The B group of vitamins help in energy production and good carbohydrate metabolism. Please be aware that women over the age of 50 may need less iron as they do not loose iron as younger women do during their periods. If older women have an iron problem then they need to consult their doctor as the loss of iron could be something their doctor needs to look into.

If women find it hard to have a meat diet, then it is recommended that they should consider supplementing vitamins with the B group of vitamins and iron. Women get tired more easily than men and hence need more B group of vitamins. They can add carrot juice to boost the delivery of Vit A.

For those women who are considering falling pregnant it is prudent to start supplementation of a high quality vitamin before pregnancy.

 Vit B6 or folic acid plays an important role in reducing spina bifida in infants.This infant deformity occurs early in the pregnancy if folic acid is absent.

• Taking a high quality fish oil supplement from a trusted vitamin manufacturer will help with the development of the baby’s brain. Omega 3 fatty acids have been found to improve the baby’s brain development during pregnancy.
• If you are considering falling pregnant please be warned that some supplements have Vit A present in them. Vit A can harm the unborn baby in the womb.

Trading Standards watchdogs and charity Birth Defects Foundation Newlife found a third of products do not carry clear labels showing they contain vitamin A.

Author: Claude Fullinfaw

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Claude_Fullinfaw