The importance of calcium

Calcium is a mineral that strengthens your bones and teeth and makes sure that everything runs smoothly with your muscles and nerves. It's especially important for growth. Calcium can continue to add to the strength of your bones until you reach the age of 30-35, when peak bone mass is reached.

After this point, as a natural part of the ageing process, your bones lose their density and grow weaker. If you haven't had enough calcium in your diet prior to this, there's an increased risk that your bones won't be strong enough to cope with any weakening, which can result in the brittle bone disease, osteoporosis.

Health professionals estimate that one in three women and one in ten men suffer from osteoporosis, and there's concern that the diets of teenage girls and young women, in particular, aren't high enough in calcium. Some experts predict that the future could bring an osteoporosis epidemic in women.