What role do calcium and vitamin D play in bone development and density?
Storey: Calcium is used throughout the body, and adequate calcium consumption is necessary to maintain bone density. Vitamin D greatly increases the body’s ability to absorb and use calcium. What happens when we don’t get enough of either of these nutrients? Storey: The greatest health risk associated with a lack of calcium and vitamin D is osteoporosis, a disease characterized by fragile bones that are more susceptible to fractures. Osteoporosis is actually a pediatric disease that manifests in old age. Wrist, hip or spinal fractures are the most common symptoms of the disease among older individuals suffering from osteoporosis. The good news is that the risk of osteoporosis and these kinds of fractures can be greatly reduced if adolescents and young adults consume adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D and get plenty of physical activity, particularly weight-bearing exercise. This is especially important for adolescent and young adult women. What are the most common dietary source
