Most of the calcium (99%) in our body is stored in our bones. Calcium helps build and maintain strong bones.

Getting enough calcium is essential at every age, especially for menopausal and post menopausal women. The recommended daily intake for adults between 19 and 50 is 1000 mg per day*.

 

 

 

 

 

*Reference: Institute of Medicine. Dietary Reference Intakes for Calcium and Vitamin D, Washington, D.C. The National Academies Press, 2010.

Vitamin D plays an important role in the development and maintenance of healthly teeth and bones and improves the absorption and use of calcium and phosphorus. Vitamin D is made by the skin through sun exposure but often, people don't make enough, especially during times of the year when they're not as exposed to the sun. Advancing age is also linked to Vitamin D deficiency, because the skin doesn't produce as much as we age.

Fortunately, a 175 g serving of Yoplait Asana provides 30% of the recommended daily value of vitamin D.

MBP^TM (Milk Basic Protein) is found in trace amounts in cow's and breast milk.

MBP^TM could reduce the activity of cells responsible for bone resorption (osteoclats) (Aoe et al., 2005).

MBP^TM could also stimulate the proliferation of cells involved in bone formation (osteoblats) and collagen production (Kawakami 2004). Collagen is a major protein component of the bone structure which contributes to bone resistance and flexibility (Vashishth, 2007).

Yoplait Asana is enriched with 40mg of MBP^TM per 100g serving.

Osteoporosis means porous bones. It is a disease that makes bones fragile, thereby increasing the risk of bone fractures.

Did you know that 1 in 4 Canadian women over the age of 50 has osteoporosis?* Osteoporosis is often referred to as a silent epidemic because it is painless and is often diagnosed late, usually after a bone fracture. As is the case with your overall health, preventing osteoporosis isn't that difficult with a little effort and perseverance. A healthy lifestyle that includes regular exercise and good nutrition is the best way to achieve this.

Of course, eating a balanced diet that includes adequate daily amounts of calcium is one of the first things to consider. As we age, calcium is not as easily absorbed by the body so, watching your daily intake is all the more important once you turn 40. Some foods, like coffee and salt, should be consumed in moderation since they speed up the loss of calcium.**

Before you consider taking supplements, remember that eating certain foods, like dairy products, is a great option because the calcium they contain is usually better absorbed by the body. There are many good references on this subject. We suggest you use our calcium calculator and check out Websites like Osteoporosis Canada, which present a list of calcium-rich foods.

* www.osteoporosecanada.ca

** Reference: Rolfes et al. Understanding normal and clinical Nutrition, 8e edition, 2009

There are three major phases of bone development:

The development phase, from shortly before birth to 25 years of age, with a key period in adolescence when bone mass increases the most;

The maintenance phase, where bone mass stays relatively stable until 30 to 35 years of age, at which point the processes gradually begins to reverse and bones start to lose their density;

The accelerated phase, 5 to 10 years after menopause, when women can lose up to 25% of their bone density at a rate of 2-5% per year. This is when there is more bone degeneration than bone building, which is why it's so important to build healthy bones throughout life.