Osteoporosis is a problem that middle-aged and elderly people often encounter, especially post-menopausal women. After suffering from osteoporosis, many patients do not know how to treat it. Usually, people say that calcium supplementation may be a lot of supplementation. For a long time, the symptoms did not relieve. Is osteoporosis really caused by calcium deficiency? Is calcium supplementation the only treatment? Today we come to understand the answer together.

Osteoporosis does not mean calcium deficiency
What is the effect of calcium on the human body? What are the harms of calcium deficiency?
Calcium is an important component of the human body. A healthy adult contains about 1 to 1.2 kilograms of calcium, which ranks fifth after carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen, and ranks the fifth among the inorganic elements that constitute the human body. One. Calcium exists in two main forms in the human body. 99.3 calcium is present in bones and teeth in the form of hydroxyapatite crystals, and 0.7% of calcium is present in the extracellular fluid and soft tissues in the form of ions.
Calcium plays a very important role in the human body:
- participates in the composition of bones and teeth;
- maintains and regulates normal nerves and muscle excitability;
- participates in muscle contraction coupling;
- maintains the normal electrophysiological function of the heart;
- affects the permeability of capillaries;
- participates in regulating the release of a variety of hormones and neurotransmitters;
- can activate a variety of enzymes to regulate metabolic processes and activate complement;
- participates in the coagulation process and is a necessary coagulation factor ; Z32z
- participates in the process of cell signal transmission;
- ……
In short, calcium is an essential and important component in various physiological functions and metabolic processes of the human body. Once calcium is lacking, it will have a variety of effects on the normal operation of the body.

Calcium deficiency can cause damage to multiple systems of the human body.
The main hazards of calcium deficiency include:
- affects the neuromuscular -the decrease in serum calcium concentration can lead to excessive nerve and muscle excitement, causing muscle twitches (cracks), insomnia or sleep quality Symptoms such as decline.
- affects the digestive system -food needs a variety of digestive enzymes to break down and absorb nutrients. Calcium ions can enhance the activity of digestive enzymes, and calcium deficiency can lead to a decline in human digestive function.
- affects growth and development —adolescent calcium deficiency can affect growth and development. Mild calcium deficiency can manifest as growth pain, late teething, slow hair growth, and slow height growth. Severe calcium deficiency can lead to rickets in children.
- affects blood coagulation function -Calcium is an important coagulation factor. When there are bleeding points in the body, thrombin can be activated step by step to stop bleeding. When serum calcium is deficient, it will cause blood coagulation disorders and slow wound healing.
- leads to osteoporosis -when the loss of calcium in the bones reaches a certain level, osteoporosis will occur, patients will have symptoms of low back pain, and a slight collision will be prone to fractures.
Calcium deficiency can cause many harms, such as high blood pressure, bone hyperplasia, loose teeth, skin aging, etc. Almost every organ of the body may be affected.

calcium deficiency, be careful with osteoporosis
How does osteoporosis happen? What are the reasons besides calcium deficiency?
People generally attribute the occurrence of osteoporosis to the lack of calcium in the food, which is actually inaccurate. Our bones are constantly undergoing metabolism, and we continue to build bones during adolescence. After the bones mature, we always have bone reconstruction. Bone reconstruction includes two processes, bone resorption and bone formation, which proceed in an orderly manner. When bone resorption is greater than bone formation, osteoporosis will occur.
- bone resorption -osteoclast activity is enhanced, old bone is absorbed and destroyed;
- bone formation --Strengthen the activity of osteoblasts and promote the formation of new bone.

The process of bone reconstruction
The real cause of osteoporosis is the disorder of bone reconstruction in the patient, bone resorption is greater than bone formation. Lack of calcium in food leads to low calcium ion concentration in serum, which not only affects bone formation, but also promotes the transfer of calcium in bones to blood, leading to the occurrence and aggravation of osteoporosis. Therefore, the lack of calcium in the diet may lead to looseness, but there are other factors that affect the balance of bone remodeling.
- Parathyroid hormone (PTH) -PTH has the dual effect of promoting results and osteolysis. On the one hand, it can stimulate bone cells to secrete insulin-like growth factors, promote the synthesis of collagen and matrix, and be beneficial to bone formation; on the other hand, it can increase the activity and number of osteoclasts, and promote the dissolution of bone matrix and bone salt. When PTH is too much, it may cause osteoporosis.
- Vitamin D——Vitamin D can promote the absorption of calcium and phosphorus in the small intestine. It also has a dual effect on bones and osteolysis, and can promote the reabsorption of calcium and phosphorus in the renal tubules. When the human body lacks vitamin D, it will affect the absorption of calcium. Even if the calcium in the food is sufficient, it may also cause osteoporosis.
- Calcitonin (CT) -Calcitonin can directly inhibit the formation of osteoclasts, and can accelerate the transformation of osteoclasts into osteoblasts, thereby enhancing osteogenic effect, inhibiting bone salt dissolution, and reducing blood calcium , blood phosphorus concentration. When the human body lacks calcitonin, it may also lead to bone loss and osteoporosis.
- glucocorticoid -glucocorticoid also has many effects on bone resorption, too much or lacking can lead to bone formation disorders. When the glucocorticoid in the body is excessive, it will stimulate bone absorption, inhibit the absorption of calcium in the small intestine, increase urinary calcium excretion, promote the secretion of parathyroid hormone and increase bone absorption, leading to osteoporosis.
- estrogen -estrogen has the effect of delaying bone loss, estrogen includes estrone, estradiol and estriol, estradiol has the strongest effect, lack of estrogen can also cause osteoporosis.
- Thyroxine -Thyroid gland can promote bone transformation, bone resorption decreases when thyroxine is lacking, bone resorption and formation increase when thyroxine is too much, but it has a greater effect on bone resorption.
- 烟——Long-term heavy smoking will increase blood calcium and increase urine calcium excretion. At the same time, it will also lead to the reduction of bone trabecular volume, bone formation rate and bone mineral salt deposition rate.
- wine ——Long-term excessive drinking can lead to increased ethanol concentration in the blood, which can inhibit the function of osteoblasts, affect bone growth and development, and accelerate bone loss.
- Coffee, strong tea, beverages -among these caffeine-rich drinks, caffeine can promote urinary calcium excretion, aggravate calcium loss, and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Endocrine factors can also lead to the occurrence of osteoporosis
So we have seen that any factor that affects the balance of bone remodeling and causes bone resorption greater than bone formation can cause bone loss and lead to osteoporosis . Therefore, people with a high incidence of osteoporosis include:
- who do not like to drink milk, eat eggs, eat green leafy vegetables, and those who lack calcium in their diet;
- postmenopausal women, the secretion of estrogen drops significantly;
- does not like to stay at home for a long time People who are exposed to the sun and lack vitamin D;
- patients with hyperthyroidism have excessive secretion of thyroxine;
- patients who take glucocorticoids for a long time;
- people who often smoke, drink, drink coffee, tea, and beverages;
- ...

Try to avoid the risk factors of osteoporosis in life
food supplement or medicine supplement? How to properly supplement calcium for patients with osteoporosis?
Then again, no matter whatWhat causes osteoporosis, patients should take adequate calcium in their daily lives. When it comes to calcium supplementation, the first thing many people think of is to supplement calcium. This is actually not scientific. For example, if you have a problem with the absorption of calcium, you should first solve the problem of absorption, or you cannot integrate calcium ions to form new bone because of a lack of certain hormones, and the calcium concentration in the blood is normal. Blindly supplement calcium.

Whether to take calcium for osteoporosis, listen to the advice of professional doctors
whether patients with osteoporosis need calcium supplementation should be carried out under the guidance of a specialist. If you blindly take medicine supplements, too much calcium intake may cause it. Hypercalcemia , the harm is not weaker than hypocalcemia:
- affects the neuromuscular system -such as memory loss, slow response, depression, apathy; dizziness, lethargy, lethargy; muscle weakness, tendon reflex inhibition, etc.
- affects the cardiovascular system -bradycardia, vasoconstriction, increased blood pressure, etc.;
- kidney -polyuria, urine concentration dysfunction, non-oliguria nephropathy, renal calcification, kidney stones, etc.;
- digestive system - -Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, gastrointestinal ulcers, pancreatitis, etc.;
- bone -pain, local tenderness, long-term patients may experience cone compression, bone deformities, and pathological fractures.

Excess calcium ions in the blood can lead to "calcium poisoning"
Under normal circumstances, you can get enough calcium through a reasonable diet. Foods suitable for calcium supplementation generally include:
- Dairy and dairy products : cow, goat milk Its milk powder, cheese, yogurt, condensed milk.
- Beans and soy products : soybeans, lentils, tofu, dried tofu, tofu skins, etc.
- Livestock and poultry meat and eggs : Lamb, chicken, eggs, duck eggs, etc.
- Aquatic products : dried shrimp, kelp, sea cucumber, crab, shrimp, seaweed, crucian, carp, etc.
- Vegetables : shepherd's purse, black fungus, celery, carrots, sesame, mushrooms, etc.
- Fruit : lemon, loquat, apple, black date, etc.

Calcium-rich foods
In addition to supplementing calcium, these 4 things should be done to prevent osteoporosis
01 / Comprehensive nutrition
In addition to calcium, the lack of other minerals, vitamins and other nutrients can also lead to osteoporosis. The best way to prevent osteoporosis is to have a diversified diet to ensure comprehensive nutrition.
- Vitamin D——Vitamin D3 is formed by 7-dehydrocholesterol in human skin tissues after exposure to sunlight or ultraviolet rays. It can be effectively replenished in the sun for about half an hour every day. Vitamin D3 is mainly found in liver, milk and egg yolk. .
- protein -protein deficiency can lead to a decline in the ability of osteoblasts to synthesize bone matrix and affect bone health. Foods rich in high-quality protein include poultry meat, eggs, milk and dairy products, soybeans and soy products.
- Phosphorus -Phosphorus and calcium together constitute the main components of bones and teeth. Low phosphorus can stimulate osteoclasts to promote bone resorption, inhibit bone formation, and cause osteoporosis. Foods rich in phosphorus include meat, eggs, animal organs, etc. Dry beans and kelp in plants are also rich in phosphorus, but the absorption and utilization rate is low. Note that high phosphorus is also detrimental to bone health, so proper intake is enough.
- Vitamin K-Vitamin K is involved in the carboxylation process of osteocalcin synthesis, and lack of it is also not conducive to bone health. Green leafy vegetables are rich in vitamin K, such as spinach, alfalfa, etc., meat, eggs and milk are also rich in vitamin K.
There are many nutrients related to osteoporosisVitamins A, B, C, zinc, fluorine, copper, manganese, etc. are all related to bone health. You don’t need to supplement them one by one. As long as you have a diversified diet in your daily life, meat, eggs, milk, whole grains, vegetables and fruits , Eat more comprehensively, and nutrition will naturally be more comprehensive.

Reject partial eclipse and picky eaters, and ensure comprehensive nutrition through diet diversification
02 / Appropriate exercise
When the human body exercises, the mechanical stimulation produced by the human body can change the configuration of bones. Adhere to appropriate exercise every day, which will help bone health. On the contrary, long-term People who do not like exercise are more prone to osteoporosis, and lack of exercise is also one of the important causes of osteoporosis. Studies have shown that exercise with an exercise intensity of 70% to 80% of the maximum exercise limit can protect bone density, but this kind of medium and high intensity exercise should not be performed every day, 2 to 3 times a week, each time for 15 to 60 minutes. can. In addition, in order to maintain bone health, daily exercise should be moderate to low intensity.

Persist in proper exercise every day is beneficial to bone and joint health
03 / This medication should be used
The causes of osteoporosis have been introduced earlier. We know that calcium deficiency is not the only cause, so calcium supplementation cannot solve all osteoporosis problems. . Middle-aged and elderly people pay attention to their own bone health problems. When osteoporosis occurs, they should go to the hospital for related examinations to find out the cause of the osteoporosis, and then perform treatment, instead of starting calcium supplements as soon as they come up, or even just Do not do professional inspection and treatment for calcium supplementation.
For patients with calcium deficiency, it may be necessary to supplement calcium and vitamin D with drugs. For patients with endocrine factors involved, it may be necessary to use anti-bone resorption drugs and drugs that promote bone formation for treatment.
- anti-bone resorption drugs -estrogen, progesterone, calcitonin, bisphosphonates and other drugs.
- Drugs that promote bone formation -fluoride, isoflavones, parathyroid hormone, androgen, vitamin K and other drugs.
- Chinese medicine ——Patients can also use Chinese medicine or Chinese patent medicine for dialectical treatment under the guidance of professional Chinese medicine doctors.
z44 Some people always like to say that someone who smokes and drinks will live a long life. Don't use a single example to paralyze yourself. Some people may have no problem with this lifestyle, but most people are caught in disease. At the same time, patients should insist on proper exercise to avoid unhealthy bones and joints due to lack of exercise.

To prevent osteoporosis, stay away from tobacco and alcohol and other items that are harmful to bone health in your life