The Role of Calcium in Bone Health
Calcium is a vital mineral that keeps our bones dense, hard, and healthy.
- Calcium joins with phosphate to form a strong mineral called hydroxyapatite that makes bones hard.
- Calcium also helps muscles contract, nerves send messages, and blood clot — so your body will take calcium from bones if blood levels get too low.
- Calcium levels are controlled by hormones like PTH and calcitonin, which manage calcium release from or storage in bones.
- Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium from food into your bloodstream.
Beyond Calcium
Strong bones depend on more than just calcium—they also need movement, balance, and supporting nutrients.
- Weight-bearing exercise (like walking or jumping) stimulates bone growth.
- Other nutrients like magnesium, phosphorus, and vitamin K support bone health.
- Astronauts lose bone mass in space because of microgravity, where there’s no force on bones to keep them strong.
- People who don’t eat dairy can still get calcium through plants, supplements, or fortified foods.
Fun Facts
Here are some interesting facts about calcium and bones:
- The human skeleton has 206 bones, and they’re constantly being rebuilt!
- Your bones are strongest around age 30, then slowly lose density.
- Teeth are the hardest part of your skeleton and also need calcium.
- A giraffe’s neck has the same number of bones as humans, just longer!
Review
Let’s quickly recap what we learned about calcium and strong bones:
- What mineral is stored in bones? Calcium
- What vitamin helps absorb calcium? Vitamin D
- What type of exercise strengthens bones? Weight-bearing
- What weakens bones in space? Microgravity
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