Health.com reports on  ways to keep your bones strong as you age in an interview with experts including Matthew Drake, MD, PhD, Chief of the Endocrinology and Metabolic Bone Disease Services at HSS. 

Calcium is a core building block of bone. But the body also needs a steady level of calcium in the blood, explained Dr. Drake. 

If you don’t get enough calcium from your diet, the body gets crafty and steals calcium from bone to keep blood levels stable, said Dr. Drake. That’s not ideal, especially at a life stage when bones are weakening naturally.

To avoid that theft, make sure you’re getting enough calcium from your diet. Women need 1,200 milligrams per day after age 50. Men need 1,000 milligrams per day until age 70, then 1,200 afterward.³

“But here’s the kicker: You can’t effectively absorb more than about 400 milligrams at any single meal,” Dr. Drake said. “So each time you have a meal, there should be some source of calcium,” such as dairy, leafy greens, soy, or fortified foods.

Read the full article at health.com.