[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Bone health is one of those aspects of health that we don’t tend to think about. After all, bones are nestled deep inside our bodies, and as we age, we tend to take them for granted.
But protecting your bone health and bone density early will serve you well later in life, and your future self will thank you for taking some simple lifestyle steps now.
What is bone density?
When we talk about strong bones and bone mass, we are really talking about
bone density—the measure of calcium and other minerals that make up your bone tissue.
“Your bone mineral density (BMD) is a great way to judge your bone strength, because greater
bone mineral density helps keep your bones healthy, even if you miss that last step on the stairs and take a tumble,” said Dr. Michael Smith, M.D., the Director of Education for Life Extension.
When you take a
bone density test, you’ll get different scores based on your age. If you’re under 50 or premenopausal, you get a Z score, which compares your bone mineral density to healthy people of your age, sex and ethnicity. After 50, or after menopause, you get a T score, which measures your bones against those of a healthy young adult.
“These scores can help you keep track of your bone strength and let you know whether you need to step up your
bone care and maintenance,” Dr. Smith said.
What nutrients support bone density?
Calcium isn’t the only nutrient needed for strong bones — a number of vitamins and minerals contribute to the bone-building process. In addition to minerals, bones are made of
proteins and collagen.
In supplement form, calcium is often
paired with vitamin D for bone health and density. This is because vitamins like D and K play key roles in your body’s bone production and maintenance systems.
Vitamin D supports bone density in several ways:
Vitamin K is also essential for bone health and density:
Minerals other than calcium are also needed for optimal bone health.
- Magnesium plays a vital role in maintaining bone strength.
- Boron has benefits not only for bones, but for joint health as well.
- Zinc, manganese and silicon are needed to support healthy bone formation.
How to add bone-friendly nutrients to my diet
When it comes to eating your way to strong, healthy bones, you’ve got a lot of options.
- Calcium: From an early age, we’re told to drink our milk to help build strong bones. Dietary calcium comes in dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt), nuts, seeds, beans, soy, leafy green veggies, fruits and fortified juices. If you avoid dairy or you want to be consistent with your calcium intake, you might want to consider a supplement –especially one that pairs calcium with D, K, and other nutrients for bone health.
- Vitamin D: Your body can actually make this vitamin, but the sunlight required for your skin to produce vitamin D comes with its own concerns. A supplement might help you reach the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin D because it can be hard to get from food. Salmon, certain mushrooms, and fortified juices and milks are your biggest food sources.
- Boron: Boron is added to many bone health supplements because it helps other vitamins and minerals support bones. “Studies show this mineral may be especially important for postmenopausal women, and they should aim to get 3 mg a day,” Dr. Smith said. Getting 3 mg daily might be tough with food alone, but boron is found in avocados, raisins, peaches, pears, peanuts, beans and certain fruit juices.
- Magnesium: Getting magnesium into your diet won’t just benefit your bone health, but it will support your heart health, too. “Magnesium supports the actions of more than 300 enzymes, plus it encourages mood health and serotonin levels,” Dr. Smith said. Many of the foods on the bone-healthy list include this mineral, including soy, seeds, nuts, peanuts, fruits, leafy green vegetables, beans and whole grains.
Lifestyle tips for healthy bone density
It shouldn’t be a surprise that one of the
best lifestyle habits for your body is particularly good for your bone density.
“Weekly strength training is one of the best ways to encourage strong and healthy bones,” Dr. Smith said. “ Getting up and moving every day supports heart health, joint health, brain health, an encouraging mood, and so much more. It really is the best thing you can do for your body.”
Consistent weight-bearing and
resistance exercise is particularly important to strengthen and maintain healthy bones as we age. Running,
weight training, interval training, or even just walking with weights can encourage bone density.
Eat a healthy diet with plenty of calcium, protein, vitamins, and
other minerals that support healthy bone density. If you aren’t getting enough from your diet to maintain bone health, consider adding a supplement to your daily routine.
Avoid smoking and excessive alcohol. Habits like these can impact your bone health as well as many other aspects of health and wellness.
If you are concerned about your bone density, speak to your doctor or healthcare provider. He or she may want to test your bone density to get a clear picture of your bone health. They may also want to adjust your medications or make other changes to your daily routine to support and maintain bone health.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_text_separator title="Featured Products" border_width="2"][vc_row_inner equal_height="yes" content_placement="middle" gap="35"][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="184295" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1746020191898{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/life-extension-mega-vitamin-k2"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="184294" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1746020214160{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/life-extension-calcium-citrate-with-vitamin-d-200-vegetarian-capsules"][/vc_column_inner][vc_column_inner width="1/3"][vc_single_image image="184293" img_size="full" alignment="center" onclick="custom_link" img_link_target="_blank" css=".vc_custom_1746020233342{padding-right: 7% !important;padding-left: 7% !important;}" link="https://www.vitacost.com/life-extension-bone-restore-elite"][/vc_column_inner][/vc_row_inner][/vc_column][/vc_row]
