Calcium deficiency – The leading cause of osteoporosis and musculoskeletal diseases in the elderly

Bone and joint health care is an important part of maintaining and protecting overall health. Calcium is considered the golden key to strong bones, preventing bone diseases in the elderly. Many studies show that calcium deficiency is the leading cause of osteoporosis and musculoskeletal diseases.

1. The role of calcium for bones and joints

Calcium is a mineral that plays an important role in the human body, especially in the formation of hard tissue. In the body, calcium accounts for 1.5 – 2% of weight, of which 99% of calcium exists in bones, teeth, nails and 1% in the blood. Calcium combined with phosphorus creates the basic components to form bones and teeth. Therefore, adequate calcium supplementation helps strengthen bones, prevent osteoporosis, reduce pain and difficulty in movement, and quickly heal bone fractures. 

Calcium plays an extremely important role in the human musculoskeletal system

Normally, bone tissue is constantly being remodeled. This is a process of bone remodeling that allows old bone tissue to be replaced by new tissue. This process begins with bone destruction, also known as bone resorption, and ends with the formation of new bone to fill the holes created by bone resorption, also known as osteoclasts. Bone remodeling depends on the amount of calcium in the body and calcium reserves, so it is extremely important to get enough calcium every day to create a source of raw materials for regeneration. 

People with calcium deficiency are also at high risk of diseases such as osteoporosis, rickets, high blood pressure, obesity or kidney stones.

Recent findings show that calcium supplementation is especially important in Asian countries because the number of people with hip fractures is increasing rapidly due to the increasingly aging population. It is estimated that by 2050, more than 1⁄2 of hip fractures worldwide will occur in Asia.

Therefore, adequate calcium supplementation is extremely necessary. The recommended nutritional requirements of calcium (mg/day) according to age, gender and physiological status for Vietnamese people are given as follows: 

Source: Vietnam recommended dietary allowances 2007

2.  Osteoporosis and musculoskeletal diseases in the elderly originate from calcium deficiency.

Bone strength is reflected through two factors: bone mass and bone quality. In which, bone mass indicates the amount of minerals (mainly calcium and phosphorus) contained in a certain amount of bone mass. Bone quality is assessed by the following parameters: bone structure, bone metabolism rate, mineralization, degree of accumulated damage, and properties of bone basic substances.

Insufficient calcium absorption in adults will reduce serum calcium levels, leading to increased parathyroid hormone in serum (secondary hyperparathyroidism). As a result, calcium will be released from the bones into the blood to maintain a stable serum level. After a period of time, the bone matrix gradually loses calcium, causing osteoporosis and, more seriously, osteoporosis disease, increasing the risk of bone fractures.

Therefore, long-term calcium deficiency is one of the leading causes of reduced bone mass and osteoporosis.

The effects of calcium deficiency cause the following bone and joint problems:

Osteopenia: a condition in which the body has lower than normal bone mass. Low calcium intake leads to reduced bone density, premature bone loss, and increased risk of fractures.

The elderly are at high risk of osteoporosis

Osteoporosis: Occurs when bone mass is severely deficient, combined with a deficiency of several minerals in the body such as calcium, magnesium, vitamin D and some other vitamins… When osteoporosis progresses to a severe stage, the elderly may be humpbacked, reduced height and frequent bone pain, or hunchback. Osteoporosis progresses silently, but can cause serious consequences such as bone fractures, from which the patient may become disabled, lose working ability, and reduce life expectancy. Osteoporosis is currently a medical and social problem in every country because the frequency of people with osteoporosis in the community is equivalent to the frequency of people with cardiovascular disease and cancer.

Images of healthy bones and bones with osteoporosis

Increased risk of fractures: When bone mass is lost (osteopenia) and bone quality is reduced (osteoporosis), the risk of fracture is very high. Research by the authors of the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf has shown that calcium deficiency increases the risk of bone loss after trauma and triples the risk of secondary fractures. 

Entering the “elderly” period, the skeletal system becomes weaker, bone density decreases. Therefore, adequate calcium supplementation is extremely necessary for bone and joint health care in the elderly.

3. Measures to prevent calcium deficiency in the elderly

Calcium-rich foods are considered an effective measure to prevent bone and joint diseases caused by calcium deficiency. Calcium can be absorbed into the body in daily meals through some foods such as:

– Seafood (shrimp, crab, snails). This is a natural source of essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin D, vitamin B12, iodine, selenium and zinc, which are good for bones and joints.

– Dark green vegetables (lettuce, cabbage, kale, celery, etc.). These are foods that are good for bone health. Vitamin K in green vegetables is a factor in the formation of osteocalcin, which helps accumulate calcium in bones.

– Milk and dairy products such as yogurt and cheese as milk and dairy products are rich in calcium and are sources of calcium with high biological value, good for bones and joints.

– Nuts and beans are all rich sources of calcium, including almonds, winged beans, white beans, soybeans, etc. 

– Eggs are also a food rich in calcium. In addition, egg yolks also contain vitamin D, which is necessary for bone health and osteoporosis prevention.

Foods rich in calcium, good for bones and joints

In order to provide a nutritional solution to support healthy bones and joints, reducing the risk of osteoporosis due to calcium deficiency, scientists from the Nutricare Medical Nutrition Institute – USA (NMNI-USA) and Nutricare have successfully collaborated to research and launch the nutritional product Nutricare Bone. The product provides an outstandingly high calcium content of 1800 mg combined with vitamin D3 to increase calcium absorption in the intestine and vitamin K2 to help transport and increase calcium density attached to the skeleton, thereby supporting the prevention of osteoporosis. In particular, Nutricare Bone also supplements Glucosamine from the US, which has been clinically proven to increase synovial fluid and cartilage cells, helping to reduce pain and increase joint flexibility even in old age. In addition, easily absorbed vegetable protein and Whey protein from the US in the product also support the provision of essential amino acids involved in protein synthesis to help build and regenerate muscle mass, increasing mobility. With 2-3 glasses of standard powdered milk every day, Nutricare Bone provides adequate nutrients for the elderly with osteoporosis problems, at risk of bone loss, athletes, and those who do heavy physical activities and need to support bone and joint function. 

In addition to adopting a calcium-rich diet, the elderly also need to exercise regularly to improve their health, increase the flexibility of the musculoskeletal system, and at the same time, increase calcium metabolism in the body. In addition, the elderly need regular health check-ups to screen for early bone screening, detect bone and joint diseases, and thereby have timely treatment measures.

Older people should choose sports that are suitable for their physical condition.

In summary, the leading cause of osteoporosis and musculoskeletal diseases in the elderly is calcium deficiency. Therefore, to have a healthy skeletal system, adequate calcium supplementation is extremely necessary. Hopefully, you may find the above information helpful to better your understanding of the importance of calcium for bones and joints. From that obtained knowledge, readers know how to supplement calcium properly to have a healthy skeletal system and prevent bone and joint diseases.