Calcium requirements for a 62 years old woman

Dear Ask The Doctor: I am 62 and take a liquid calcium for bone loss; with so many to choose from, and each one adding important vitamins and minerals, how do I make an intelligent decision which one meets my bones needs?

Dear Murleen: Not only the Calcium is important in your case but also the Vitamin D intake, which makes the calcium get absorbed.As people age, skin cannot synthesize vitamin D as efficiently and the kidney is less able to convert vitamin D to its active hormone form. Therefore, older adults may benefit from supplemental vitamin D. Vitamin D deficiency can result from a variety of causes, including inadequate exposure to sunlight (this causes a deficiency in cutaneously synthesized vitamin D), malabsorption problems, lack of vitamin D in breast milk, (this is for kids) and the effects of certain medications. Intake recommendations for calcium and other nutrients are provided in the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) developed by the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB). In your case for female individuals older than 50 years the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) is 1,200 mg/day. Just try to check in the label of the product the calcium content per oz. or ml. Also keep in mind that there are many sources of calcium: Milk, yogurt, and cheese (Dairy sources), and Nondairy as: Chinese cabbage, kale, and broccoli. Spinach provides calcium, but its bioavailability is poor. Most grains do not have high amounts of calcium unless they are fortified; however, they contribute calcium to the diet because they contain small amounts of calcium and people consume them frequently. Foods fortified with calcium include many fruit juices and drinks, tofu, and cereals.