❤️ Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a disease that makes bones fragile so they break easily. It develops slowly, over years, and is often noticed only after a fracture. The wrist, hip and vertebrae break most often. With severe osteoporosis, a bone can crack even from a cough or a sneeze.

According to the NHS, osteoporosis is more common in women, especially after menopause. But men get it too. The risk goes up with family history, low body weight, smoking, heavy drinking, an inactive life and long-term use of certain medicines. Strong bones need calcium and vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium.

Osteoporosis or just too little calcium? Calcium is one building block of strong bones, and milk and dairy are a handy source, but osteoporosis has several causes: age, sex, family history, smoking, heavy drinking, an inactive life and some medicines. Drinking milk while smoking and sitting still does not make you safe. Vitamin D belongs in the picture because it helps the body absorb calcium. Whether bone pain or a break is caused by osteoporosis is for a doctor to say.

In a supermarket, calcium comes with milk, yogurt and cheese, and it appears as “calcium” in the nutrition table on the pack. Plant-based drinks have it only if it was added, shown by a “with added calcium” line. Vitamin D supplements are sold at a pharmacy or chemist; the NHS names a 10 mcg daily supplement for many people. Check the amount per serving in the nutrition table and on the label.

Milk and dairy products are a handy source of calcium. That is why they are often linked with preventing osteoporosis. To protect your bones, the NHS advises regular exercise, eating foods with calcium, getting vitamin D (for many people, a 10 mcg daily supplement), stopping smoking and drinking less alcohol. Milk alone will not protect you from osteoporosis. Your whole way of life matters. If you are at risk, a doctor can check, for example with a bone density scan.