Put your voice behind the silent disease – Osteoporosis.
The loss of bone occurs progressively over many years and doesn’t have any symptoms. Often the first sign of having osteoporosis is a fracture. For this reason, osteoporosis is often referred to as the “silent epidemic”.
What is Osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis, literally meaning “porous bone”2, is a disease that occurs when the body loses too much bone, makes too little bone, or both. As a result of this, the bones in your body become weak and brittle. They may then break from a fall or, in serious cases even from sneezing or minor bumps.
Where does calcium fit in?
Calcium is a major building block of bone tissue and gives strength to the skeleton. When dietary intake of calcium is inadequate, however, the body will release calcium from the bones into the blood. This may lead to bones becoming weak and, over time, this will predispose someone to get osteoporosis.
Therefore, an adequate amount of calcium must be available to the body to prevent bones from becoming weak and brittle.
Who may have to take a calcium supplement?
If you are predisposed to getting osteoporosis (for instance there is a family history), you may need to take a calcium supplement to ensure that your body receives enough calcium. However, the following people may also need a supplement:
- Women in early menopause who suffer from oestrogen deficiency
- Immobilisation or inadequate physical activity
- Individuals with a calcium deficient diet due to an allergy or being lactose intolerant
- Those with certain diseases, including Cushing’s syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and athletes amenorrhoea
- Those who excessively smoke or consume alcohol excessively
- Those who chronically use the following medicines: excessive thyroid hormones, aluminium hydroxide antacids, corticosteroids, anti-convulsant therapy and certain cancer therapies
When should you start taking a calcium supplement?
Peak bone mass is reached around the age of 30.5 After this age, the bone cells responsible for making new bone tissue becomes slower than those re-absorbing the old bone tissue – i.e. breaking the bone down faster than it is built up. This is what leads to brittle bones.
The B-Cal range of calcium supplements
- The B-Cal range of calcium supplements are suited to different individuals at different life stages. Choose the one that is right for you:
- B-Cal-DM – For individuals predisposed to osteoporosis wanting to benefit from the added magnesium which is as important as calcium in bone health.
- B-Cal-D – For individuals predisposed to osteoporosis wanting to benefit from the added vitamin D.
- B-Cal Ultra – For teenagers and pre- and post-menopausal women
- B-Cal – A calcium supplement that provides phosphate binding potential.
- Calcium Citrate D – For individuals wanting to benefit from an easy-to-absorb calcium effervescent, i.e. the elderly or those who cannot swallow tablets.
