Men and Calcium:
No Appointment Necessary

Aired on Superstation WGN
Saturday, February 12 and November 5, 2005

Show 206

Dr. Lisa Thornton:

Men start out with higher bone density than women, but it does decline as they age. Men can also get osteoporosis even though it's rare. Have you ever wondered if men need calcium too?

Tony Sukalo, RPh:

When men are younger, we have a higher peaked bone density than women. But as you get older, we will loose some of our bone density. So it's important that we start taking calcium supplements. By age 75, one third of men are diagnosed with osteoporosis. Things men can do to prevent bone loss include, taking calcium supplements and vitamin D supplements. If you're under the age of 65, it is not necessary for you to take the vitamin D, but we do recommend that you take 1,000 milligrams of calcium. Men over the age of 65 should be taking 1,500 milligrams of calcium a day. They should also be taking vitamin D. The recommended dose is 400 to 800 IU's. Some people may get enough calcium  and vitamin D from their diet alone, but we still recommend that these individuals take a calcium and vitamin D supplement.