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Micronutrients for strong bones and getting rid of excess weight
Medical expert of the article
Last reviewed: 04.07.2025
Calcium for weight regulation
Calcium helps bones become stronger, regulates metabolism, helps stabilize mood, thanks to calcium a person calms down before sleep, and his muscles also become more elastic.
If there is little calcium in the body, bones and nails become brittle, hair falls out, sleep is restless, mood swings and frequent depressions occur. And yet, despite this, people consume little calcium, thereby depriving themselves of a full life.
According to statistics, only up to 500 mg of calcium enters the human body with food, and the daily dose is 2-3 times more - up to 1000 mg. That is, every day a person deprives himself of at least half of the daily dose of calcium.
This is especially dangerous for women who are in menopause. During this period, bones become especially brittle, hair and teeth can fall out or lose their vitality.
Then the woman needs to take calcium and, for its better absorption, estrogen. During estrogen intake, the daily calcium intake should be increased to 1500 mg.
Many women do not know, but a lack of calcium in the body does not allow one to fully maintain weight - a lack of calcium provokes its accumulation.
Nutrition and Calcium
If a woman does not consume enough milk and dairy products (cottage cheese, sour cream, kefir), she deprives herself of natural calcium. This is even more wrong if a woman wants to lose weight by giving up milk. The result will be exactly the opposite, because calcium helps normalize weight.
If we drink fizzy drinks and alcoholic beverages, even low-alcohol ones, we deprive ourselves of calcium even more. Phosphates and phosphorus, which are contained in these drinks, prevent the absorption of calcium by the small intestine.
The richest source of calcium is milk and its products. Vegetables are also good as calcium suppliers, but they are second only to milk. Fruits are a source of calcium, although not as rich as vegetables and dairy products. But it is worth knowing that the fiber contained in vegetables does not allow calcium to be absorbed 100%. Therefore, if you cannot get calcium from food , you need to take it in pharmacy products.
How to Strengthen Bones with Minerals
Magnesium
Helps bones grow and reduces their fragility, promotes good muscle tone, stabilizes blood pressure
Daily dose 400 – 600 mg
Source
Legumes, cereals, bran, seafood, wholemeal flour products, ideally with bran
Zinc
Controls the synthesis of proteins and DNA, helps muscle tissues to be more elastic due to the formation of collagen fibers, promotes their growth, regulates blood glucose levels
Daily dose
400 – 600 mg
Source
Meat of animals and birds, beans, brown rice and preferably unprocessed, vegetables, seafood
Manganese
It helps to remove the remains of vitamins E, C, B from the body when their doses are exceeded, and also controls energy metabolism in cells, helps maintain glucose levels in the blood, promotes good thyroid function, in particular, the formation of thyroid hormone T4, and strengthens the immune system.
Daily dose
10-25 mg
Source
Seeds, nuts, grains and sprouted wheat, carrots, cabbage, especially broccoli, tea leaves, bran
Calcium
Simulates muscle work and development, promotes human growth, in particular, the growth and development of bones, strengthening bone tissue, helps normalize sleep
Daily dose
1000-1200 mg before menopause and provided that the woman is not taking estrogens, 1500 mg after menopause has occurred
Source
Milk and dairy products, juices, vegetables, especially broccoli
Vitamin D
Helps to better absorb calcium in the body, in particular, controls its secretion in the kidneys, helps to strengthen bone and muscle tissue, is good for the prevention of osteoporosis
Daily dose
400 international units
Source
Eggs, milk and dairy products, fish
Boron
Helps strengthen bones and cartilage, promotes less excretion of magnesium and calcium
Source
Green vegetables such as green peppers or tomatoes, as well as cabbage
What drugs should you be wary of?
Very often, natural calcium supplements are offered, which are found in seafood shells. For example, oysters. But it is better not to use such supplements, because they may contain toxins in the form of lead, arsenic and mercury.
Calcium supplements may also contain calcium citrate, which doctors consider harmful to the body. Advertisers, on the contrary, write that this drug is well absorbed by the body. In fact, this is not true. In addition, calcium citrate is a supplement that contains too small doses of calcium. Therefore, you need to take not one or two tablets, but several, but this is not written on the packaging.
How to check the ability to absorb calcium?
To do this, you need to take a daily urine test. It will show how much calcium is absorbed by the body and how much excess calcium is excreted in the urine. It is especially important to do this test if a person has undergone hormone therapy after fractures or bone restoration.
It is also important to check how well calcium is absorbed if there is significant bone loss in certain diseases, such as osteoporosis.
If the calcium level in the body is low, then calcium absorption is impaired. Then the calcium balance in the body needs to be restored by taking it together with the hormone estradiol. Then calcium is absorbed much better than without estradiol.
If your blood calcium levels are too high, you are either taking too much of the drug or your body is not absorbing calcium well. You also need to make sure you are taking enough estradiol.
Vitamin D and its properties
If there is a vitamin D deficiency in the body, it means that the person has an insufficiently balanced menu. Scientific studies conducted in England in 1999 showed that 50% of women live with a vitamin D deficiency. These women had particularly brittle bones, and fractures occurred frequently. A low vitamin D norm is less than 30 nmol/l.
The risk of fractures is reduced if you take enough vitamin D and do limb gymnastics. With a normal level of vitamin D in the diet, bone tissue is restored faster. In addition, a person loses weight faster if the body lacks vitamin D, it is very difficult to control weight.
The norm for vitamin D is at least 400 nmol/l; its overdose, as well as deficiency, is unacceptable.
Drill for strong bones
Boron takes an active part in the metabolic processes that occur in bone tissue. It is found in vegetables, especially green ones, in particular, in tomatoes and peppers. If you buy multivitamins, be sure to check whether they contain boron.
It should not be lower or higher than the norm.
Overdose of boron increases the risk of developing osteoporosis, provokes bone damage, and destruction of bone tissue.
A lack of boron causes weakness, increased fatigue, and hormonal problems.
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What to take with boron
Minerals that should be taken together with boron should include zinc, magnesium, manganese, and vitamin D. These substances help bone tissue develop better, stabilize sleep, the functioning of the nervous system, reduce pain, reduce irritability, and help muscle tissue strengthen better.
To ensure that the body absorbs the medications better, it is better to take them in liquid form rather than in tablet form.
A sufficient amount of minerals in the diet will help you lose weight, strengthen your bones and muscles. Only their norms should be balanced. To do this, you need to consult an endocrinologist.