Bone loss occurs when the body needs more calcium than you provide. But your bones lose important minerals during this process as well. Certain vitamins and minerals are responsible for bone metabolism and creating a bone matrix that strengthens bone and allows it to harden. Mineral deficiencies are common in people with osteoporosis, so supplementing may help to overcome a lot of the problems associated with osteoporosis.

Zinc, copper, manganese and vitamin C are necessary for collagen to form in bone tissues. Collagen forms strands inside the bone. Calcium attaches to the collagen structures and hardens. Zinc and copper absorption can be affected by calcium supplements, so it is best to take it in a highly absorbable form. You may not absorb enough zinc and copper from food sources, so supplementation may be necessary. Manganese deficiencies are also common in osteoporosis patients. Studies show that most minerals work best when combined with vitamins. You may want to try a vitamin C powder that contains essential minerals to ensure proper absorption and maximum benefit.

Vitamin D and vitamin K are also key in building the bone infrastructure. These two vitamins work together to balance calcium levels and aid in bone function. Bones are not unchanging structures. They have a complex system of breaking down and rebuilding that is always occurring, known as bone metabolism. This action helps to properly balance and distribute calcium to bones, muscles, nerves and the heart for use in several essential bodily processes.

Vitamin K deficiency is believed to play a key role in osteoporosis. Vitamin K is produced in our intestinal bacteria. The use of antibiotics, stomach problems and infections, kill off the bacteria responsible for producing vitamin K. Your doctor may want to test for vitamin K deficiency before you supplement, so talk with him/her about your bone health before you buy vitamins.

Magnesium deficiency is increasingly common and can contribute to bone loss. Magnesium is responsible for moving calcium out of the soft tissues and into the bone. Without enough calcium, this cannot take place. Magnesium also helps in the metabolic process that aids our bodies in getting calcium from food sources, so it plays a few different roles in bone formation, function and repair. Again, the absorption of magnesium can be affected by calcium, so it is advisable to take it in a highly absorbable form.

Taking a proper balance of vitamins and supplements is key in protecting yourself from osteoporosis. Because of the difficulty in obtaining enough of each nutrient in a highly absorbable form through food, you may want to consider supplementing. As always, talk with your health care provider or nutritionist when you buy vitamins to ensure that you are not overdoing it in any one area. Keeping everything in balance can help you to preserve bone, maintain calcium stores, promote healthy bone metabolism, and fight osteoporosis.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements. Wholesale Nutrition has the best vitamin C Powder on the market (C-Salts). Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy vitamins or buy supplements of the highest quality.

Our bodies only build bone for the first 20-30 years of our lives. After that, we begin to deplete the stores of calcium that we have. We lose a lot of bone mass in our 30’s and 40’s. Some people are already losing bone mass in their 20’s and are unaware of it. Vitamins and supplements, diet and exercise are crucial to retaining calcium stores.

Your body constantly uses calcium to support your muscles, heartbeat, nerve function, and blood coagulation. This calcium needs to be in your blood, so your body constantly takes it from your bones. If you are not getting enough calcium in your diet, then your bones are quickly depleted and left brittle and porous.

Some people don’t understand just how serious osteoporosis can be. You don’t have to fall down or have some sort of accident to break a brittle bone. Brittle bones are a lot like porcelain lace and do not have the flexibility of healthy bone. They are lacking the calcium that makes them hard. They do not have the healthy living cells of normal bone that are responsible for repairing damage. Bones can break and crumble with something as simple as a sneeze, bending over, or moving a kitchen chair.

Preserving and constantly replacing your bones stores is essential. A normal person needs as much as five cups of milk every day to keep up with their body’s calcium requirement and you could need even more if you are pregnant, lactating, or in menopause. Most people cannot keep up with this requirement, plus, most people can’t even absorb all of the calcium in dairy products. Better sources of calcium include certain greens, beans and broccoli. Eating enough of these foods every day is not likely to happen, so supplementing is highly recommended by doctors.

In addition to calcium supplements, you need vitamin D to help the calcium be absorbed. Many people are unaware that they are vitamin D deficient. Working indoors, using sunscreen, and relying on milk to provide vitamin D all contribute to becoming deficient. It is extremely difficult to put vitamin D in milk. Recent studies show that over 70% of milk samples do not contain nearly the amount of vitamin D that is printed on the label. Since vitamin D is crucial for calcium absorption, most doctors urge patients to supplement with vitamin D and calcium together.

Other vitamins and supplements are important, too. Magnesium is required to convert vitamin D into an active form and is also essential for shuttling calcium into the bones. Magnesium usually comes from vegetables, but magnesium is depleted from soil over time, so vegetables now have less magnesium than we might have thought.

Talk to your doctor before you buy vitamins. Taking the right combination of vitamins and supplements on a daily basis can help you to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Remember that it is never too early to be concerned with your bone health, so talk with your physician today.

About the Author: Phil Le Breton is owner at Wholesale Nutrition. He has a strong interest in helping people achieve greater brain and body health with vitamins and supplements. Wholesale Nutrition has the best vitamin C Powder on the market (C-Salts). Visit http://www.nutri.com to buy vitamins or buy supplements of the highest quality.