As people move into their 50s and beyond, bone health becomes a bigger concern, and how much calcium and vitamin D you get can make a real difference.
That's because bone loss speeds up with age, especially during and after menopause, said Dr. Bess Dawson-Hughes, a senior scientist at Tufts University's Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging in Boston.
Women lose about 3% of their bone mass each year during menopause and for roughly five years after their last period, as estrogen levels drop.
After that, bone loss continues at about 1% per year. Men also lose bone steadily, starting around age 50, at about 1% per year.
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