Asked by: Christine Bressat, West Sussex
The body needs a regular intake of calcium for a range of needs, not least building and maintaining bones. If it doesn’t get enough calcium from the diet, it will extract it from bones. Although some disagree on the importance of dairy products, they are undeniably good sources of absorbable calcium.
Healthy bones also require vitamin D and potassium. It’s a good idea to boost calcium levels by eating plenty of leafy vegetables, beans and seeds.
Subscribe to BBC Focus magazine for fascinating new Q&As every month and follow @sciencefocusQA on Twitter for your daily dose of fun science facts.
