Calcium Can Be Critical Before Menopause

(HealthDayNews) -- Many women start taking calcium supplements during menopause, but calcium deficiency increasingly is being seen in younger women, says the June issue of the Mayo Clinic Women's HealthSource.

Women who aren't getting enough calcium in their diets should take a supplement, regardless of their age. Ask your doctor how much calcium you need because the amount required changes based on age and health factors.

A doctor also can recommend which kind of calcium supplement should be taken, when to take it for best absorption, and if it should be combined with vitamin D or other minerals.

If dietary intake of calcium is insufficient, calcium supplements can provide special benefit to the bones at certain times in life, such as puberty or in early menopause. But at any age, calcium benefits a woman's bones as well as muscles and nerves.

A well-balanced diet can provide all the calcium you need. Good sources of calcium include: dairy products; vegetables such as broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts and kale; tofu; calcium-fortified juices, cereals and breads; and canned fish such as salmon.

More information

Here's where you can learn more about calcium.

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