Calcium
This article was originally published in The Tan Sheet
Executive Summary
Women in the military should eat foods fortified with calcium, and if unable to meet the military recommended daily allowance, "then appropriately formulated supplements could be considered," suggests a recently released Institute of Medicine report, "Reducing Stress Fracture in Physically Active Military Women." The report examines why women have a higher incidence of stress fractures in military basic training than men. Calcium levels exceeding the MRDA are not advised, however. "Currently, there is insufficient evidence to support the idea that calcium intake above the levels recommended for the general population will prevent stress fractures," the report says. "In addition, data are too sparse to conclude that intense physical activity increases calcium requirements"