Fun and Fitness: Not too late to bone up
The human skeletal system is more complicated than most think. As we grow over the course of a lifetime, our bones, much like the rest of our bodies go through several ups and downs. Our bones consist of osteoblasts and osteoclasts. They team up to enforce resorption and remodelling of our skeletons. Think of the clasts as a wrecking crew whose job is to take out pieces from a cement sidewalk. Now think of the blasts as the fix-up crew who lay down freshly paved cement to strengthen and solidify that sidewalk. In essence, our skeletal systems go through a self-recycling phase for our entire lives. In actuality, our bones have even more in common with cement than you might think. Cement as you know is dynamic, meaning its constantly in motion even though its generally termed static or still. Due to the processes mentioned above, our bones are also dynamic in nature.
However, this constant remodelling cannot continue proficiently without one very important factor — YOU! Believe it or not, our bones contain 99 per cent of the body's calcium. That staggering number alone goes to show how important the nutrient is for everyone's daily intake. Unfortunately many people don't meet the daily recommended calcium intake, especially females who tend to avoid milk and other fatty products high in calcium. These people often avoid many of these products for weight management purposes, but they will undoubtedly find themselves fighting a different uphill battle altogether.
Childhood provides the greatest window of opportunity. It is during these young years that the human body is most sensitive to exercise and diet for increasing bone mineral density. Research has even proven this by which a group of older female tennis players who started at the same time as younger female tennis players failed to make the same improvements in bone mineral density. However, even peak bone mass attained in adulthood is 30 to 40 per cent lower in women than men putting them at higher risk.
Regardless of gender, as we all age, our skeletal system's resorption gradually exceeds it's remodelling. It is a natural process, unless the progression goes too far resulting in osteoporosis leaving one at high risk for fractures. However, we can all combat and slow this process down with weight bearing exercise, calcium, vitamin D, and an overall balanced diet. Take special note of the weight bearing requirement. Walking and other forms of mild exercise are in their own rights effective forms of exercise but they are not effective for improving bone mineral density. There needs to be a higher demand such as a safely tailored resistance training program. We may have missed our golden childhood opportunity at this point but it doesn't mean we can't make significant gains at this point. In the end, our bones serve us on a use it or lose it basis. The choice is all yours.
However, this constant remodelling cannot continue proficiently without one very important factor — YOU! Believe it or not, our bones contain 99 per cent of the body's calcium. That staggering number alone goes to show how important the nutrient is for everyone's daily intake. Unfortunately many people don't meet the daily recommended calcium intake, especially females who tend to avoid milk and other fatty products high in calcium. These people often avoid many of these products for weight management purposes, but they will undoubtedly find themselves fighting a different uphill battle altogether.
Childhood provides the greatest window of opportunity. It is during these young years that the human body is most sensitive to exercise and diet for increasing bone mineral density. Research has even proven this by which a group of older female tennis players who started at the same time as younger female tennis players failed to make the same improvements in bone mineral density. However, even peak bone mass attained in adulthood is 30 to 40 per cent lower in women than men putting them at higher risk.
Regardless of gender, as we all age, our skeletal system's resorption gradually exceeds it's remodelling. It is a natural process, unless the progression goes too far resulting in osteoporosis leaving one at high risk for fractures. However, we can all combat and slow this process down with weight bearing exercise, calcium, vitamin D, and an overall balanced diet. Take special note of the weight bearing requirement. Walking and other forms of mild exercise are in their own rights effective forms of exercise but they are not effective for improving bone mineral density. There needs to be a higher demand such as a safely tailored resistance training program. We may have missed our golden childhood opportunity at this point but it doesn't mean we can't make significant gains at this point. In the end, our bones serve us on a use it or lose it basis. The choice is all yours.
