How Does It Work?:
Healthy human bone is made up of collagen fibers impregnated with calcium phosphate. This structure allows for both great strength and ease of movement. As living tissue, bone undergoes continual remodeling throughout life. Bone cells called osteoclasts break down (resorb) bone, while osteoblasts build up bone tissue. Osteoporosis, a complex health problem, occurs when the rate of bone resorption surpasses that of bone formation. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), building strong bones before the age of 30 is the best defense against developing osteoporosis.

The reproductive hormone estrogen promotes healthy bone density in both men and women. Estrogen receptors on bone surfaces facilitate bone resorption and bone growth. During the normal aging process, decreased estrogen production reduces the number of estrogen receptors on bone tissues. As women make and use significantly larger amounts of estrogen than men, their bone density is more estrogen-dependent. Women can lose up to 20 percent of their bone mass in the five to seven years following menopause, making them significantly more susceptible to osteoporosis.

Recent research has proven that a lifelong intake of specific bone-supportive nutrients is needed for bones to remain strong and healthy, including calcium, vitamin D, phosphorus, and magnesium. Calcium is well-known for its bone supportive properties. Vitamin D plays a major role in calcium absorption and works in the kidneys to help resorb calcium that otherwise would be excreted. There is also a strong co-dependence of calcium and phosphorus, another mineral crucial to bone health. Magnesium is found in skeletal structures, providing structural and storage functions.

The chart below details recent clinical findings of the key ingredients in Calcium:

 

Ingredient	Benefit
Vitamin D	A placebo-controlled prospective study randomized 3270 elderly ambulatory women living in nursing homes to receive either daily supplementation of calcium and vitamin D or placebo for three years. The results found that women in the treatment group had 23% stronger bones than women in the placebo group. The women's bone density increased 2.7% the vitamin D/calcium group and decreased 4.6% in the placebo group. Supplementation with vitamin D has also been demonstrated to support healthy metabolism and mood, oral health, and immune and neurological health.
Calcium	Research has consistently demonstrated that calcium supplements, if taken regularly, may help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a disease, which frequently affects Caucasian and Asian women during their teen and early adult years. Osteoporosis also affects middle-aged and older persons as well as individuals with a family history of the disease. A lifetime of regular exercise and a healthy diet that includes calcium builds and maintains good bone health and may reduce the risk of osteoporosis later in life. Daily intakes above 2,000 mg are not likely to provide any additional benefit to bone health. A randomized placebo-controlled trial assigned 60 postmenopausal women to one of three treatment arms: dietary milk (24 ounces daily), calcium carbonate (1000 mg/day in two divided doses), or placebo. After 2 years, the bone mineral density (BMD) of the women in the placebo group decreased by 3%; the women in the milk supplemented group averaged a 1.5% BMD loss; the calcium carbonate group, however, experienced no bone loss and showed a significant increase in BMD in the spine and femoral neck (P < 0.05). Calcium exists only in combination with other compounds; their absorbability has been extensively debated and researched. The latest consensus is that a blend of calcium salts provides the best opportunity for healthy bone support.
Phosphorus	Phosphorus is a key element necessary for healthy bone mineralization. Research has demonstrated that phosphorus intake for the support of bone health may be more important than currently recognized..
Magnesium	Magnesium intake is associated with bone health and may also produce an alkaline environment, reducing calcium excretion and thus improving bone density. Clinical studies have found that magnesium supports healthy bones in adults.