Like Salt? Your Bones Sure Don’t!

Emma McGowan NatureCity author & contributor

How many times have you heard that sodium is bad for your blood pressure? Well, here’s something that you may not have heard… it may be bad for your bones too. A recent study shows that when your body is trying to get rid of excess sodium it may also be flushing out much needed calcium as well.

Researchers from the University of Alberta in Canada observed mice devoid of a gene that is important to absorbing sodium. This gene has been shown in previous studies to be the way human bodies absorb sodium as well.

The study showed that animals without this gene had high levels of calcium in their urine. They also had thin bones as a result of the fact that the calcium was not being absorbed.

Their findings were published in the April 2012 issue of the American Journal of Physiology- Renal Physiology.

Calcium has been shown to aid bone health, help with weight loss, skin health, and reducing the risk of colorectal cancer and stroke. Some studies have even suggested that calcium intake is associated with longevity.

Calcium absorption decreases as we age, so it is especially important to make sure you are getting enough of it in your diet or through a high quality supplement, preferably algae based rather than the standard rock form.