Category: Sport

Vitamin D helps with calcium absorption and the function of bone cells, and we can synthesize much of what we need in our skin, assuming we get a little sun exposure. But during the winter months in the northern half of the United States and in Canada, the sun is too low in the sky to provide enough ultraviolet rays, so we need to look to food sources and supplements, says Lappe. The Institute of Medicine recommends that adults with minimal sun exposure get 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day, increasing to 800 IU for those age 70 and up. There are only a few good food sources of vitamin D: Fatty Fish Three ounces of salmon or swordfish can provide about 500 IU, with lower amounts…

Minerals like calcium give bones their hardness, but it’s protein that forms its underlying structural matrix. For many years, researchers thought that high-protein diets could deplete the bones of calcium, but a major review published in June 2017 in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition concluded that there is little evidence for this. (4) Just how much protein is optimal for bone health is still being debated, says Lappe: “I usually just stick with recommended levels, and I don't think people need protein supplements.” Most Americans get enough protein, but Planells says that as people get older, it’s common for their protein intake to decrease. “Your goal is to get at least 15 grams of protein every time you eat,” he says. Meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products are…