8 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 bone health and prevent osteopenia (bone thinning) and osteoporosis (late-stage bone loss).

Orthopaedic surgeon Kim Stearns, MD, explains why bone health is important and shares strategies for improvement.

What affects bone health?

Many factors can directly affect the health and strength of your bones, including:

• Age: Your body slows down the absorption of minerals into your bone structure around your 30s or 40s, so they get weaker with age.
• Genetics: Having a family history of broken bones or osteoporosis is associated with an increased risk of bone loss.
• Size: People who are shorter and have smaller skeletal frames are at increased risk of weakness and osteoporosis.
• Physical activity: Exercising regularly results in stronger bones, while a sedentary lifestyle contributes to an increased risk of bone loss.
• Injuries: Fractures, cracks and broken bones have a direct impact on bone strength and growth.
• Nutrition: Malnutrition and a lack of calcium and other vitamins can lead to low bone density, increased risk for injury and bone loss.
• Hormones: Having an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) and other hormone imbalances can have negative impacts on bone health.
• Lifestyle choices: Smoking, having alcohol use disorder and substance misuse can all have negative impacts on bone health.
• Medications: Certain medications, like SSRI antidepressants, can lead to low bone density if they’re taken over long periods of time.

Tips to improve your bone health

Generally, anything that’s good for your overall health will be good for your bones, too. Being proactive about your bone health is key to making them solid and strong for the long haul. These strategies in particular can help prevent low bone density and bone loss, the longer you focus on them.

1. Eat lots of vegetables

Nutrients strengthen your bones. Vegetables (especially cruciferous ones like broccoli) are the best source of vitamin C, which stimulates production of bone-forming cells. Green and yellow veggies have also been shown to help keep minerals inside your bones so they’re less likely to soften or weaken over time.

2. Make sure you’re adding calcium to your diet

Calcium is a major building block for healthy bones. Without it, you have an increased risk of bone loss and low bone density. Try to work calcium-rich foods into each meal and make room for snacks like cottage cheese, almonds and oranges.

3. Add vitamin D to your day

A lot of us don’t get enough vitamin D from the sun. Taking a vitamin D supplement will ensure you meet your daily needs. But whenever possible, try to get your sources of vitamin D from whole foods. You also want to make sure you don’t overdo it — talk to a healthcare provider first before taking any supplements.

To help absorb calcium, most adults need 1,000 to 2,000 IU of vitamin D daily, says Dr. Stearns. Combined calcium-vitamin D pills usually don’t meet this requirement.

4. Perform strength training

Strength-training exercises like weightlifting or stomping in place are especially important for stimulating new bone growth and slowing bone loss. The key is resistance training ― or progressive bone loading — where you ramp up the resistance or amount of weight as you perform one to two sets of 10 to 12 repetitions per exercise. If you’re already dealing with bone loss or other injuries, you’ll want to work with a physical therapist or athletic trainer before trying this on your own.

“As far as bone health goes, it’s important to stress your bones through exercise,” says Dr. Stearns. “Stressed bones maintain their mineral and calcium content. When someone is on prolonged bed rest or doesn’t exercise regularly, the body absorbs the calcium from the bones, which then lose density and become weak and brittle.”

5. Start weight-bearing exercises

Weight-bearing exercise is defined as an activity that forces you to move against gravity or gives you resistance as you move. High-impact weight-bearing exercises are best for improving bone health and include:

• Walking, running or jogging
• High-impact aerobics
• Stair-climbing workouts
• Dancing
• Sports like tennis or basketball

These might need to be limited if you’ve been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Clear any exercise plans with your doctor first to prevent the risk of injury.

6. Don’t smoke or drink excessively

Anything you put into your body will have a direct impact on your bone health and overall wellness. If you smoke, look into a program to help you quit. If you drink, the recommendation is to stick to no more than one drink a day. In general, finding reasons to be sober can improve your health in many ways.

7. Consider medication

Women experiencing perimenopause may consider hormone therapy, especially if they have symptoms of menopause (hot flashes and more), to increase waning estrogen levels, which are linked to bone loss. And women and men diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis can take various medications to prevent dangerous hip and spine fractures. Talk to your doctor about options like:

• Bisphosphonates
• Teriparatide
• Denosumab

And remember, “None of these medications work without calcium and vitamin D as building blocks,” states Dr. Stearns.

8. Get your bone mineral density tested

Doctors can get a quick and painless “snapshot” of bone health using a simple X-ray test called DXA. This test measures bone mineral density and helps determine risks of osteoporosis and fracture. It’s recommended that women be tested in the first two years after menopause. Earlier tests are recommended for people with certain diseases and for those taking medications that increase risk, such as long-term steroid therapy.

“Bone density testing is usually recommended for women every other year once they reach menopause. Men should consult their primary physicians about the need for testing,” advises Dr. Stearns.

“If you’re at risk for vitamin D deficiency due to the lack of regular sun exposure, you should consider taking a maintenance dose of vitamin D daily or weekly.”