9 Tips for Healthy Bones

It’s a fact of life: As you age, your bones become thinner and lose their density.

Fortunately, you can take steps early on to strengthen your bones — efforts that may help you prevent osteopenia (bone thinning) and osteoporosis (late-stage bone loss).

Orthopaedist Meredith Konya, MD, explains why bone health is important and shares strategies for improving yours.

Why is bone health important?

Your bones support everything you do, giving your body the structural framework it needs to move, twist and turn. Bones also protect your heart and other organs and store important minerals, like calcium and phosphorus, needed for growth.

But as you get older, you gradually lose some bone mass, which makes your bones weaker and more prone to injuries.

“Some bone loss is a normal part of aging,” acknowledges Dr. Konya. "But the more bone you lose, the greater your risk of developing osteoporosis.”

What affects bone health?

Many factors can directly affect your bone health and strength, including:

• Age: Around your 30s or 40s, your body begins absorbing fewer minerals into your bones. This causes bone strength to gradually decline.
• Genetics: “If you have a family history of broken bones or osteoporosis, you may have a higher risk of bone loss,” notes Dr. Konya.
• Size: People who are shorter and have a smaller skeletal frame have an increased risk of bone weakness and osteoporosis.
• Physical activity: Regular exercise results in stronger bones, while a sedentary lifestyle raises the risk of bone loss.
• Injuries: Damaging or breaking a bone may affect its strength or ability to grow.
• Nutrition: Malnutrition and a lack of calcium and certain vitamins can lead to low bone density, injury risk and bone loss.
• Hormones: Having an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and other hormone imbalances can have negative impacts on bone health.
• Lifestyle factors: Smoking or having a substance use disorder can negatively affect bone health.
• Medications: Long-term use of certain medications, like SSRI antidepressants, can lead to low bone density.

Tips to improve your bone health

Being proactive is key to making your bones solid and strong for the long haul. And generally, anything that’s good for your overall health is good for your bones, too.

Image content: This image is available to view online.

View image online (https://assets.clevelandclinic.org/transform/c0025875-8927-4274-8a6d-37abdea97a1d/strong-healthy-bones)

Dr. Konya shares some specific strategies that can help prevent low bone density and bone loss:

1. Eat lots of vegetables. Veggies — especially cruciferous ones, like broccoli — are excellent sources of vitamin C, which stimulates the production of bone-forming cells. Green and yellow veggies can help keep minerals inside your bones, too.
2. Add calcium to your diet. Calcium is a major building block for healthy bones. Try to work calcium-rich foods into each meal and make room for snacks like cottage cheese, almonds and oranges.
3. Get more vitamin D. To help absorb calcium, most adults need 1,000 to 2,000 international units (IUs) of vitamin D daily. But it’s important not to overdo it. “Try to get your vitamin D from whole foods,” recommends Dr. Konya.
4. Work on strength training. Strength training puts healthy stress on your bones, encouraging them to stay strong and maintain density. Gradually increasing the weight or resistance level can help slow bone loss and build stronger bones.
5. Do weight-bearing exercises. High-impact weight-bearing exercises are great for improving bone health. Try options like walking, running, stair-climbing or dancing.
6. Quit smoking and limit alcohol. Any substance you put into your body has a direct impact on your bone health and overall wellness. If you smoke, look into quitting. When it comes to alcohol, try to have no more than one drink a day.
7. Ask your provider about medications for bone health. Hormone therapy for menopause can raise estrogen levels, which may help slow bone loss. Medications like bisphosphonates may also help prevent hip and spine fractures.
8. Get your bone density evaluated. Measuring your bone mineral density helps determine your risk of osteoporosis and fractures. Women should get tested in the first two years after menopause. But you may need earlier testing if you’re living with certain conditions or taking medications that increase your risk, like steroid therapy.
9. Work with an expert. “If you’re already dealing with bone loss or injuries, work with a physical therapist or athletic trainer before exercising,” advises Dr. Konya. “When you’re on prolonged bed rest or don’t exercise regularly, your body absorbs calcium from your bones, which can then lose density and become weak and brittle.”

Make no bones about it — the sooner you start caring for your skeletal system, the better. If you’re concerned about bone health or looking for ways to reduce your risk for bone loss, talk with a healthcare provider.