Calcium, Vitamin D, and Omega 3 Information

Calcium is an essential nutrient for our body and plays a vital role in keeping our teeth and bones strong, but also is important for muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve function to name a few. Unfortunately, calcium is absorbed less effectively as we age, making many individuals at risk for osteoporosis if they aren’t getting enough calcium through diet or supplements.

Calcium-Rich Diet:

• Canada’s Food Guide recommends:
3 servings (ages 50+) or 2 servings (<50) of dairy products or alternatives

• Foods include:
yogurt, cheese, calcium-fortified beverages, custards, puddings, kefir, dark leafy green vegetables, almonds, fish with bones, and more!

• It is better to get calcium through diet, rather than supplements

• Go to Calculate my Calcium at www.osteoperosis .ca to determine if your diet is calcium sufficient – you’ll see there are LOTS of non-dairy, calcium rich foods!

• Excess sodium in your diet can deplete calcium, so pay attention to labels and decrease the amount of sodium you eat or drink



Calcium supplements:

• Adults over 50: 1200 mg daily

• Adults 19-50: 1000 mg daily

• Calculate the elemental calcium on the supplement label to determine how much calcium is in the tablet

• Excess calcium from supplements can cause kidney stones, heart problems, prostate cancer, constipation and digestive problems.

• Side effects may include:
Nausea, constipation, or upset

• Take calcium carbonate with food and calcium citrate with lots of water

• Be sure to tell your doctor if you are taking calcium supplements

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is critical for healthy, strong bones because it helps your body absorb calcium from food in your digestive tract, rather than taking it from your bones. It also increases muscle strength, which reduces your risk of falling and breaking a bone.

The Sunshine Vitamin
• Vitamin D is produced in the skin when exposed to UV rays from the sun

• Most Canadians typically do not get enough vitamin D due to our climate

• The winter sun is not adequate for vitamin D production

• Wearing sunscreen in summer prevents vitamin D production
Wear SPF 15 if in the sun for more than 10-15 minutes to reduce risk of skin cancer

• As we age, our skin isn’t as efficient in producing vitamin D

• Low levels of Vitamin D are associated with:
higher risk of heart failure
heart attack
stroke
heart disease
colorectal cancer
balance problems
impaired lower extremity function
high fall rates
low bone mineral density
muscle weakness

Vitamin D Diet:
• Foods include:
milk, cereal, vitamin D-fortified orange juice and bread, eggs, fish (with bone in), and cod liver oil

• It is difficult to get enough vitamin D through your diet, so supplements are recommended for all adults year round

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) Supplements:
• Adults over 50: 800 - 2000 IU daily

• Adults 19-50: 400 – 1,000 IU daily

• Read labels of other supplements (ex: a multivitamin or calcium) to calculate your total vitamin D intake

• If you miss your daily dose, double up the next day. If you miss a week, you can take all the missed doses together at the end of the week
*Don’t do this with other medications
*This should only be done with a week’s worth of vitamin D

Omega 3 Fatty Acids

Fish oil contains two omega-3 fatty acids called docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA). In addition, nuts, seeds, and vegetable oils contain alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) which the body then converts to EPA and DHA. These fatty acids are highly correlated with heart health, making it important to include these in your diet.

Omega 3 Diet
• The recommended daily EPA and DHA intake is 0.3 - 0.5 grams and a daily ALA intake of 0.8 - 1.1 grams.

• Omega 3 is common in fatty fish, oils, and nuts

• Foods and serving sizes:
fish oil
plant, nut, and canola oils – 1 tsp
catfish –75 g (the size of a checkbook)
halibut – 75 g
salmon – 75 g
striped sea bass – 75 g
albacore tuna – 75 g
tofu – ¾ cup
walnuts – ¼ cup

• Canada’s Food Guide recommends at least two servings of fish per week

• 2 Omega 3 fortified eggs have 0.2 grams of EPA/DHA 0.5 grams of ALA

• Check out http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Fat/Food-Sources-of-Omega-3-Fats.aspx to see if you’re getting enough omega 3!

Omega 3 Benefits
• Omega 3 has been thought to have multiple benefits:
reduce risk of heart disease
lower triglycerides
reduce the risk of heart attack, abnormal heartbeat, and stroke in people who have heart disorders
lower blood pressure
lower cholesterol and reduce plaque in the arteries

• Too much omega 3 is associated with:
increased bleeding risk
high LDL (bad) cholesterol
blood sugar control problems
“fishy” odour

References
American Geriatrics Society (2014). Recommendations abstracted from the American Geriatrics Society consensus statement on vitamin d for prevention of falls and their consequences. Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, 62(1), 147-152. doi:10.1111/jgs.12631

Dieticians of Canada (2013). Food sources of omega 3 fats. Retrieved from http://www.dietitians.ca/Your-Health/Nutrition-A-Z/Fat/Food-Sources-of-Omega-3-Fats.aspx

Mayo Clinic (2013). Omega-3 fatty acids, fish oil, alpha-linolenic acid. Retrieved from http://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/omega-3-fatty-acids-fish-oil-alpha-linolenic-acid/background/hrb-20059372

Osteoporosis Canada (2016). Calcium: An important nutrient that builds stronger bones. Retrieved from http://www.osteoporosis.ca/osteoporosis-and-you/nutrition/calcium-requirements/

Osteoporosis Canada (2016). How do I know if I need a calcium supplement? Retrieved from http://www.osteoporosis.ca/osteoporosis-and-you/nutrition/supplements/

Osteoporosis Canada (2016). Vitamin d: An important nutrient that protects you against falls and fractures. Retrieved from http://www.osteoporosis.ca/osteoporosis-and-you/nutrition/vitamin-d/

Shah, D., & Gupta, P. (2015). Vitamin d deficiency: Is the pandemic for real? Indian Journal of Community Medicine, 40(4), 215-217. doi:10.4103/0970-0218.164378

Created by Katie Cotter for:
The Women’s Mid-life Health Program
Saskatchewan Collaborative Bachelor of Science in Nursing. March 2016