Posted on 1 October 2022

Age 20-35? Take a calcium supplement to build bone, say scientists

Age 20-35? Take a calcium supplement. That’s the key takeaway from a new research paper. Women and men aged between 20-35 that took a calcium supplement had higher bone mass, scientists found.

Bone mass peaks in our 30s, after which it begins to fall. The top line finding is that calcium supplements can help you achieve a higher peak bone mass – which could help reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

“Intervention before young adults reach peak bone density might have a greater impact on bone health and prevent osteoporosis later,” said lead author Yupeng Liu, a researcher at the School of Public Health and Management, Wenzhou Medical University, China.

The team only studied research from randomised controlled studies, considered Ed by scientists to be the “gold standard” of evidence. They looked at 43 studies involving more than 7,300 participants. Of those, 20 looked at dietary calcium, and 23 looked at calcium supplements.

The results showed that women and men who took a daily calcium supplement had higher bone mineral density (BMD) in their total body and femoral neck.

After reviewing the evidence, the scientists concluded that taking a calcium supplement in your 20s and 30s can help build stronger bones. In fact, the evidence suggests that taking a supplement in early adulthood can have the best impact on your bones.

“In terms of bone health and an individual’s full life cycle, the intervention window of calcium supplementation should be advanced to the age around the plateau of peak bone mass – namely at 20–35 years of age,” said Yupeng Liu.

We know calcium supplements are essential for older women and men worried about their bone health. It’s especially important that post-menopausal women, who are at the highest risk of developing osteoporosis, take a daily vitamin D and calcium supplement.

While you can get calcium from your diet, many of us don’t get enough. Adults should get 700mg of calcium every day, says the NHS.

Some adults, including those with bone problems like osteoporosis, could benefit from taking up to 1000mg daily, says the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

People of all ages should be aware that taking too much calcium can have a negative impact on your bone health and cause other health problems.

So, what calcium supplement should you take? At Stronger Bones, we’ve got a massive range of bone health supplements in our shop. You can choose from a combined supplement with calcium alongside other vitamins, such as Vitabiotics Osteocare Glucosamine and Chondroitin.

Or you could take a dedicated calcium supplement. We have high-quality calcium supplements from brands such as Vitabiotics, Solgar, and Higher Nature.

You can buy online and save 20% or more on shop prices, or subscribe to make even bigger savings. Spend over £25, and you’ll get free shipping.

Before taking a calcium supplement, you should always chat with a medical professional.