The facts about calcium and vitamin D

It is crucial that children get the recommended amount of calcium in their diets in order to reach maximum growth potential and increase bone mass to avoid injury, especially during the peak bone growth years between the ages of nine and eighteen. Milk, yogurt, cheese, and calcium-fortified orange juice are good sources of calcium.

Vitamin D is important because it helps the body absorb calcium. Vitamin D is found in milk and other dairy products, as well in sunlight. However, Vitamin D deficiency is becoming more prevalent and is directly related to the decrease in calcium consumption, less sunlight exposure for children and the trend toward low-fat diets.

If there is not enough calcium in the diet, then calcium also needs to be supplemented. Vitamin D does not promote healthy bone by itself, and high levels of vitamin D will actually de-mineralize, or break down, bone if sufficient calcium is not present.

In order to get 1,300 mg per day of calcium and 400IU/day of Vitamin D, a teenager would need three eight-ounce glasses of milk, plus a snack high in calcium such as yogurt or cheese. Fortified cereals and egg yolks have approximately 40IU of vitamin D.