Did you know that poor posture, joint pain, fatigue, and a higher risk of falling can all be traced back to poor bone health? TheNational Osteoporosis Foundation shared that about 10 million Americans currently have osteoporosis and another 44 million have low bone density. About half of all adults age 50 and older are at risk of breaking a bone. Is this normal? Or is bone loss on the rise? And perhaps most importantly, can anything be done to reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis and keep bone mass high?
Bone loss is extremely common among older adults; it is commonly seen as an unavoidable sign of aging. During one's youth, the body produces new bone faster than it breaks old bone down; most people have peak bone mass around age 30. After that, the body continues to build bone mass, but at a slower rate. As this ratio starts to become more and more imbalanced, it places you at an increased risk of fractures, back pain, and more.
An individual's risk of osteoporosis depends on a number of things, but low peak bone mass is one of the greatest risk factors. Maintaining healthy bone massbeforeyou reach age 30 can help to decrease your rate of bone loss. Certain lifestyle habits and unchangeable factors, both before and after age 30, can influence one's risk of osteoporosis. It's not just calcium intake that you need to keep an eye on!Risk factors of osteoporosis include:
1. Calcium:Calcium supplements are one of the most popular bone support supplements on the market. About 99% of the body’s calcium is stored in the skeleton, thus inadequate calcium intake can greatly increase one's risk of bone loss.
Though figures vary depending on rates of poverty and sex, many people in the U.S. do not get enough calcium. Dietary sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, foods made with fortified flour, and fish where you eat the bones such as sardines.The amount of calcium you should consume depends on your diet, age, health, and lifestyle but in general, the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) is 700–1200 mg of calcium per day. High doses of calcium can cause side effects such as constipation and kidney stones, so it's best to speak with a healthcare provider before you add a high dose supplement to your diet.
2. Vitamin D: Vitamin D works hand in hand with calcium by supporting calcium absorption and regulating bone turnover. Vitamin D is usually obtained via sun exposure but good sources of vitamin D in your diet include some fatty fish and cereals. Since vitamin D deficiency is often linked to bone loss, getting enough vitamin D is crucial! Vitamin D supplements are the safest and most reliable way to increase vitamin D levels. Many studies have also found that taking vitamin D and calcium together may reduce the risk of fractures.
3. Collagen:Collagen is the most abundant protein in the human body. It can be found in all the major connective tissues and makes up about a third of the bone. Collagen levels start to decline right around the time thatbone loss declines (mid-twenties to the early thirties). Because there are few reliablefood sources of collagen,studieshave pointed tocollagensupplements as a way to manage and preventbone loss.
4. Magnesium:About 60% of themagnesium in your body can be found in bone tissue.Low magnesium levels are common among women with osteoporosis, and some studies suggest that taking amagnesium supplementmay increase bone mass. The RDI ofmagnesium is 310–320 mg per day for people ages 19–30 years and 400–420 mg per day for people ages 31 and older.
When it comes to adding a newsupplement to your diet, you should always seekmedical advice from a trusted doctor. They may recommend that you do abone density test to determine yourbone mineral density and any nutritional deficiencies that may be negatively affecting yourbone health. They may also recommend that you start doingweight-bearing exercises and increasingphysical activity to better your chances of maintainingbone strength into your thirties, forties, and beyond. Forstrong bones, better posture, and less back andjoint pain, talk to your doctor about starting a sustainable bone supportsupplement and exercise routine!
