The Mankato Free Press published an article on America's bone health crisis featuring insight from Matthew T. Drake, MD, PhD, chief of the Division of Endocrinology and director of the Metabolic Bone Service at HSS.

Osteoporosis is the condition through which bones become weak and brittle. We lose calcium naturally as we reach 50 years of age, Dr. Drake said, but that rate can be exacerbated when we don’t take in enough calcium, and the body must rob it from bones to survive.

The body is constantly creating and breaking down calcium, using cells known as osteoblasts and osteoclasts. When osteoblasts fall behind the osteoclasts and the body steals calcium from bones, the bones become weak and brittle and can break. This often happens when older folks fall.

“Just moving and supporting yourself is one of the best things you can do,” he said. “I spend a lot of time with patients talking about limiting their risk for falls. That’s one of the biggest risks for having broken bone is having a fall.”

And just as people seeking to drink enough water each day don’t take it in at one time, calcium for bone strength is best if it’s taken in throughout the day, said Dr. Drake. Meals, for example, should include a solid source of calcium, and that can be enhanced with a supplement.

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