Is it useless to eat calcium? 3 misconceptions about osteoporosisFamily medicine specialist Hyuna Park

First, misconceptions about bones

We think of bones as hard, unchanging organs. But did you know that bones are actually constantly changing?

Bones contain calcium and phosphorus, which may seem hard at first glance, but the truth is that about 10% of them are broken and 10% are replaced every year. In 10 years, almost every bone in your body will change. Even though it seems to be fixed in its place, our bodies are always doing things like breaking down the old and making the new.

Second, misconceptions about osteoporosis

When patients say that they have osteoporosis or poor bone density, the first thing they think of is bone pain, but in fact, osteoporosis has no symptoms. It's only when it's broken that it's a symptom. As you can see, osteoporosis progresses without any symptoms, so it is also a disease that we need to pay attention to.

Third, misconceptions about osteoporosis drugs

If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, your insurance will give you osteoporosis medication, but if you have osteopenia, which is the stage before osteoporosis, your insurance will only prescribe calcium and vitamin D preparations. Patients who receive calcium and vitamin D are surprised to hear that their bones have deteriorated after a few years. They thought calcium and vitamin D were the best treatments for bone density.

However, in order to increase bone density, you need to take osteoporosis medications. The calcium and vitamin D used in the preceding phase play a role in slowing down the rate of rapid decline in bone density. Calcium and vitamin D are only nutrients, but consuming them will not bring bone density back to normal.

Why take calcium?

Some patients stay away from calcium supplements because they are told that they will cause kidney stones or arteriosclerosis. Adults need 700~800mg of calcium per day, and osteoporosis patients need 800~1,000mg of calcium intake.

However, the problem is that the average calcium intake of adults in South Korea is 514 mg. In particular, elderly women, who are most prone to osteoporosis, consume 400 mg of calcium. That's less than half of the actual recommended amount of calcium.

How to take calcium safely

The best source of calcium is dairy products. Calcium entering the food has no side effects. Drinking a lot of milk doesn't cause calcifications or kidney stones.

And in order for osteoporosis patients to consume 800~1,000mg of calcium, they need to take calcium supplements together. However, if you take calcium as a supplement, the calcium level in your blood will increase at once, which can lead to disease. To prevent this, it's best to limit your calcium intake to 500 mg or less at a time. Dividing it into portions twice a day does not cause stomach upset.

Also, calcium is better absorbed after meals than on an empty stomach. Finally, it's a good idea to take multiple supplements and find the one that works best for you. Even if you take one of the calcium supplements on the market and feel sick, the others are always fine.