Women runners and calcium

How much calcium do you really need?
It is recommended that you do not exceed 2,000-2,500mg of calcium daily, as too high an intake can interfere with iron absorption. The current recommended daily intake is 800mg per day, which ideally should come from foods rather than by supplementation. Focusing on obtaining your calcium from natural sources also ensures that you are eating a wide range of different foods for a balanced nutrition plan.

Foods rich in calcium
When we think of calcium-rich foods, things like dairy products such as milk, cheese and yoghurt are the obvious options. However, if you are looking for other good sources of calcium that are non-dairy (maybe if you suffer from a dairy intolerance), there are some other foods rich in calcium that you can try. Here are a few examples...

Examples of calcium-rich foods

Fish such as sardines, whitebait and pilchards are fantastic sources of calcium. Not only do these types of oily fish contain high levels of calcium they are also rich in Omega-3 (also essential for a healthy diet).

Green leafy vegetables such as watercress, okra and spinach are packed with calcium. As well as a great provider of calcium these types of foods are also rich in iron - another essential element to the female runner's diet.

Other foods such as sesame seeds, tofu and dried figs also have high levels of calcium.  

Other ways to improve your calcium levels
As well as running and eating calcium-rich foods there are other steps you can take to boost the levels of calcium in your body. Firstly research indicates that reducing your salt intake can improve calcium levels. A high salt intake can raise blood pressure, which in turn speeds up the body's loss of calcium. Try to keep your salt intake to less than six grams per day.

Secondly, you need to watch your alcohol intake, as a high alcohol intake reduces absorption of vitamin D which as well as a key mineral for bone strength, is needed to transport calcium. Very recent studies have found that low alcohol consumption (less than eight units per week) may contribute to bone health but further research is needed.

Safeguarding against osteoporosis
Osteoporosis or brittle bone disease affects approximately three million people in the UK alone; someone suffers from an osteoporosis-related fracture every three minutes. The hip, spine and wrist are the most common fracture areas and statistics show that after the age of 50, 20% of men and 50% of women will suffer a bone fracture as a result of the disease. There are several identifiable risk factors that increase your susceptibility to osteoporosis but equally, there are many positive steps that you can take to offset your chances of becoming a sufferer. Regular running and maintaining a calcium rich diet are two of the best ways to safeguard you against the onset of osteoporosis.