Osteoporosis Is Aggravated By Dairy Products

Author: Nia Rouseberg Time for reading: ~6 minutes Last Updated: January 27, 2026

In this article, learn more about Osteoporosis Is Aggravated By Dairy Products. What is the paradox that calcium-rich dairy products aggravate osteoporosis?.

- What is osteoporosis as a disease?

Osteoporosis is called a disease of the fragile bones because it is the basis of frequent fractures of the limbs and spine and can lead to disability, to permanent loss of quality of life. Osteoporosis imperceptibly reduces the strength of bones, they begin to thin, become softer, their interior - spongy. Often the first sign of this disease is a broken bone. There are even cases of fracture only when turning in bed. Every year, millions of people around the world break their bones due to osteoporosis. A fracture of the spine is often spontaneous and painless. We find it only when there is already a deformity of the spine and a reduction in height between 2 and 20 cm - as a result of fractures and severe deformities of the vertebrae.

- What are the factors that can keep our bones healthy?

Nutrition is a leading factor in the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. There is a very popular view that milk and dairy products should be consumed for healthy bones. Most of these products per capita are used in the United States and there, contrary to expectations, there are the most fractures from osteoporosis. While in some African countries, where milk and dairy products are not used at all, osteoporosis is unknown as a disease. But in these countries, people consume a lot of natural products, all-plant foods, move a lot and women who usually give birth to 8-10 children do not have osteoporosis.

- How would you explain this paradox?

Calcium together with magnesium builds bone structure and we really need these trace elements. But a very important condition for the absorption of calcium and its entry into the bone structure is the alkaline reaction, which must create products that contain calcium. If food leads to increased acidity of the blood, pH, as in dairy products, then it is calcium that binds to the acids to neutralize them. At the same time, the amount that dairy products take into the body is not enough to neutralize the increased acidity of the blood, and it is necessary to extract more calcium from the bones and teeth. Thus, instead of taking in more calcium, its reserves decrease. The paradox is that the intake of dairy products leads to calcium deficiency.

There is another feature - in order to properly absorb calcium in the intestine, there must be enough magnesium and no phosphorus. And in dairy products, magnesium is low and phosphorus is high. As a result, only 11% of calcium is absorbed. And given that dairy products create increased acidity, the opposite effect of what we expect is obtained.

The best food that can provide us with calcium must meet three conditions: to lead to an alkaline reaction in the blood, to take in enough calcium and not to contain much phosphorus but magnesium.

- What is the food that meets these conditions?

The ideal food for the prevention of osteoporosis are green leafy vegetables, especially raw: spinach, cabbage, lettuce, parsley, chervil, dill, including green onion leaves (garlic and onions), nettle, dock, sorrel, dandelion (arugula). Green leafy vegetables, in addition to calcium and magnesium, contain a lot of iron and chlorophyll and thus improve blood quality, increase hemoglobin.

- How much should we consume from green leafy vegetables per day?

One salad is enough. During the winter season in many stores you can buy spinach, which can be eaten both cooked and raw in the form of a salad flavored with lemon and olive oil. We can eat more parsley. Cabbage is also a good source of calcium and magnesium. The salt in the salad should be low, because in large quantities salt extracts calcium from the bones. Himalayan salt is preferred. We can add from useful fats, such as olive oil, charlan (cold-pressed sunflower oil, and this technology does not use caustic soda and other harmful substances to extract fat). The amount of fat for the day should be between 40 and 50 grams, and this amount includes the fat from the nuts. Indeed, nuts are very useful, but two thirds of them are fat and we should not overdo it.

We can include olives as a useful food, but the amount for the day should also be reasonable - from 5 to 10 olives. In people with high blood pressure or overweight, olives should be 1-2 or temporarily exclude them from their menu.

- Is there a difference between eating a person with and without osteoporosis?

In principle, there is no difference. But when we already know we have osteoporosis, we need to focus on foods that are a good source of calcium. In addition to green leafy vegetables, eat sesame seeds. But in order to absorb sesame, it needs to be ground. Only then do we add it to our breakfast, which can be boiled wheat - einkorn, bulgur, wheat, oats, millet, buckwheat and more. If we like a sweet breakfast, we add dates, honey, dark raisins or other dried fruits. Ground sesame can be added to salads at lunch and dinner, as well as in soups and other dishes. The amount of sesame for prevention is 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon if you are not overweight. When we talk about the treatment of osteoporosis, the amount of sesame is 1-2 spoons, which we distribute between breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Legumes are also a good source of calcium, while almonds are a good source of calcium. By using foods that alkalize the blood, but also with a good calcium content, we will be able to ensure the optimal amount of calcium for our bones.

- Should we stop dairy products at all for osteoporosis?

Yes, it is best to stop eating dairy products. We must stop other acid-forming foods - sweets, sugar, sweeteners, as well as meat, which leads to all degenerative diseases, including osteoporosis. Highly digested foods, pickles, vinegar also make the blood acidic and should be excluded or minimized altogether. To monitor acidity, we can use test strips (in saliva or urine). The optimal blood environment is from pH 7.36 to 7.44.

When a person is emotionally unstable, under stress, experiences negative thoughts and feelings, when he is depressed or angry, then there is also more acidity in the blood. That is why it is better to be positive, to smile, to laugh, to enjoy the good things in our lives.

We should also know that our bones are built up to the age of 25 and during this time accumulate the maximum amount of calcium. By this age, young people, especially girls who are expectant mothers, should have healthy habits to accumulate the maximum amount of calcium. If you eat acid-forming foods: sweet, fast foods, if you drink coffee, alcohol and smoke, these are all habits that do not lead to a good supply of calcium to the bones. Bones are supplied with calcium much faster than blood by gravity during movement, sports, when they are pulled, stretched, pressed. Physical activity, movement is the second factor in bone health.

There is a third factor besides food and exercise that helps us absorb more calcium - sun exposure. In this way we synthesize vitamin D. The sun builds vitamin D, makes the immune system healthy, and vitamin D is involved in the absorption of calcium in the intestines, and also participates in building bones. Therefore, we should walk at least 30 minutes a day and be exposed to the sun, even during the winter months. My recommendation is to go out, to be active outside, not to stand in front of the TV and the computer.

- Why do menopausal women most often suffer from osteoporosis?

They reduce the amount of female sex hormones - estrogen and as a result, the process of breaking down bones prevails over the process of building. But the reduction in bone density does not necessarily happen if the menopausal woman leads a good lifestyle: eat right, do not smoke and move outdoors.

Osteoporosis Is Aggravated By Dairy Products

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