Keeping Your Bones and Joints Healthy and Happy

Think calcium, and think bones and joints! 

Calcium is vital for maintaining healthy bones, teeth, joints, and muscles. In fact, 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth, where it provides strength and stability. 

But because your body can’t actually make calcium itself, it’s important to maintain your stores through diet. 

Let’s take a look at why your body needs adequate calcium throughout life, and how to make sure you’re getting enough of it, especially after a certain age. 

What does calcium do in the body?

Did you know that calcium plays a part in almost every cell in the body?
Besides supporting healthy bone development and strength, calcium is involved in helping your muscles and blood vessels contract and expand as they should. It’s also required for sending important messages through the nervous system and allowing the release of certain hormones.  

Who needs calcium?

Everyone! But it’s even more necessary during certain periods of rapid growth and change. Between the ages of nine and 18 years, our bones are undergoing the most development - so this is when our needs for calcium are at their highest. Peak bone mass is reached between the ages of 25 and 35. Failing to get adequate calcium before this time can lead to problems with bone density later in life. Fortunately, most young people get plenty of calcium through diet alone.

As we get older, our bones become less efficient at metabolising and storing calcium. That’s when our bone density starts to decline. Women going through menopause are especially in need of calcium because reduced estrogen production affects the ability to retain calcium from dietary sources. 

Those most at risk of calcium deficiency are adolescents and the elderly who aren’t getting enough calcium from their diet, such as those who are lactose intolerant or allergic to milk. People with chronic conditions may also be at risk of reduced bone density.

How a calcium deficiency affects your bones and joints 

If the body isn’t getting enough calcium from food or supplements, it has no choice but to draw from the stores of calcium in your bones. This can eventually lead to weakening of the bones and other hard tissues. Severe bone loss can result in fragile bones, or bones prone to fractures.
Calcium deficiency can also mean that muscles cannot contract as they should, leading to  muscle tension and stiffness.

Low on calcium? Here’s how to boost your intake

Most of us can maintain a healthy intake of calcium just by eating the right foods - and there are plenty of them! The good news is that there are lots of them!

Here’s a bunch of the best foods that are naturally rich in calcium

Foods that contain calcium

• Dairy products: milk, yoghurt, hard cheese
• Fortified plant-based milks: almond, oat, soy, rice 
• Nuts and seeds: almonds, sesame, chia 
• Vegetables: kale, broccoli, watercress, edamame, squash, leafy greens
• Tinned sardines

Supplements for bone health

If you don’t eat a lot of calcium-rich foods, you may need to look at alternative options for supporting your calcium needs. Calcium supplements make it easy to boost your daily intake. A good place to start is with Nutra-Life Super Calcium & Magnesium, which provides two of the most important minerals for supporting bone health and strength in an optimal ratio.

Or add a scoop of Lifestream Natural Calcium powder to your smoothies or juices!

Collagen is another useful nutrient for joint and bone care. Collagen is the major structural protein that makes up connective tissue: joints, muscles, ligaments, and bone. Marine collagen is a good source of type 2 collagen, which supports cushioning and lubrication within joints. Go Collagen For Joints contains marine collagen alongside Vitamin D3 to support calcium absorption and turmeric for antioxidant support. 

Supplements for joint mobility

Prevention is key when it comes to joint health and mobility, no matter your age. It’s even more important for those who are highly active.

A good place to start is with Omega 3 fish oil! Omega 3 fatty acids are among the most widely researched nutrients in the world. They support not only joint and tissue health but also cardiovascular health. Studies also suggest that it may be helpful to take fish oil to support joint mobility. Try Sanderson Fish Oil 2000, which contains the equivalent of 2000mg concentrated EPA and DHA in an easy-to-swallow softgel capsule.

Glucosamine and chondroitin are also popular for supporting joint mobility. These two nutrients are the building blocks of healthy cartilage, and are suggested to help support healthy connective tissue. You’ll find that many joint support formulas contain one or both of these nutrients, often alongside other supporting nutrients such as MSM, vitamin D3, and turmeric. 

Supplements for joint comfort 

Joint stiffness can really slow you down. And while there are plenty of vitamins for supporting joint comfort that can support joint health, it’s also important to talk to your doctor or other health professional if you’re struggling to move around like you used to.

In the meantime, check out our extensive range of tried-and-true supplements for joint health. A formula containing turmeric and ginger can help to provide extra support for joint comfort.  GO Turmeric & Glucosamine 1-A-Day provides these famous plant extracts alongside glucosamine sulfate in one easy daily dose.

Find all of these great supplements at the best prices by visiting Bargain Chemist. Got a question? Just ask one of our friendly team!