Diet more effective than calcium supplements

To keep bones strong after menopause, women need to eat plenty of calcium rich food or compensate this by taking supplements. During menopause, the production of oestrogen stops in the body, the bones tend to become weak and there is a loss of bone mass. To combat this, the calcium intake needs to either supplemented or increased in diet. Therefore, calcium plays a vital role in the diet of postmenopausal women. In a recent study undertaken by researchers at Washington University School of Medicine, 168 healthy postmenopausal women were studied for their average total daily calcium intake from supplements and diet, urinary oestrogen metabolites, and spine and femur bone mineral density (BMD). One fifth of the women received most of their calcium from supplements, 70 didn't take any supplements and 65 relied on a combination of both diet and supplements. Those in the diet group and those in the diet plus supplement group had higher ratios of active to inactive oestrogen metabolites in their urine compared with those in the supplement-only group It was found that there exists a key relationship between calcium and oestrogen. Calcium influences how the body metabolises oestrogen, a key bone-building hormone. There exist different forms of calcium that affect BMD. The ratio of active to inactive oestrogen metabolites in the urine was studied. The active metabolites of oestrogen help build bone mass, while the inactive ones have no such effect. Moreover, it was found that those with zero supplement intake and those relying solely on diet had a higher BMD in comparison to the supplement only group. There are a number of mechanisms by which dietary calcium might build bones more efficiently than supplemental calcium. Calcium from dairy and other foods is easier for the body to metabolise. Also, women who eat a calcium-rich diet may have been healthier eaters all their lives. Post-menopausal women who get their calcium mainly from diet have a greater average bone mineral density (BMD) than those relying on supplements. If it can be acquired from diet, nothing like it and if not, whether from supplements or both - the total amount of calcium intake is important for maintaining strong bones and good health.