This post was originally published as Magnesium Important to Maintain Bone Density by Laurel on Health Food blog.

EatingWell.com reports that, in addition to calcium, magnesium is just as important for maintaining strong bones. In a Health, Aging and Body Composition study of 2,038 elderly men and women, the more magnesium they consumed, the higher their bone density (among white men and women). However, this relationship between magnesium intake and bone density was not found among African-American participants. But, Lead Author of the study Karen Ryder, M.D. says that “just about everyone could benefit from increasing their magnesium intake, since most people—including most Health ABC participants—don’t get enough.” She recommends eating 3-4 servings of low-fat dairy every day and consuming lots of foods packed with magnesium such as dark green vegetables, avocados, beans, and nuts.