If I'm being honest, I don't often think about my bone health. I know the bone basics - we have 206 of them, bones need calcium, and older people tend to have more breaks and fractures than younger people. That's about it. But as the structural supporter of my entire person, I felt that I owed my bones a bit more support from me. In doing some research on the best supplements for bone health, I discovered that vitamin D and vitamin K (specifically vitamin K2) are the best, even if a bit underrated, for supporting our skeletons.
Obviously, as the structural support of our bodies, our bones play a huge role in everything we do as people. Our bones not only give our bodies structure, but they also house and protect the organs, keep our muscles in place, and store calcium in the body. Although it may not be obvious to us, our bone structure is constantly changing and growing. According to the Mayo Clinic, "When you're young, your body makes new bone faster than it breaks down old bone, and your bone mass increases. Most people reach their peak bone mass around age 30. After that, bone remodeling continues, but you lose slightly more bone mass than you gain."
Healthy bones need certain minerals, mainly calcium and phosphorus. These minerals make up what is known as bone mineral density or bone density.
When bones are not healthy and strong, certain individuals may develop bone diseases or complications such as osteoporosis, the most common bone disease in which the bones become weak and more susceptible to injury. The Mayo Clinic states that the likelihood of one developing osteoporosis depends on "how much bone mass you attain by the time you reach age 30 and how rapidly you lose it after that." Some individuals are at a higher risk of developing bone diseases like osteoporosis, including those with these healthcare factors:
Now that we've covered the basics of bone health and the genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors that could negatively impact it, let's cover the two dietary supplements that could make a positive impact on bone health - Vitamin K2 and Vitamin D3.
First reported in Germany as an essential nutrient for blood clotting, vitamin K was first known as “Koagulationsvitamin”. There are two main forms of vitamin K, vitamin K1, and vitamin k2. Vitamin K1 (phylloquinone) can be found in leafy green vegetables, while Vitamin K2 (menaquinone) can be found in animal and fermented foods. Vitamin K2 plays an important role in calcium absorption. It does this by activating "the calcium-binding actions of two proteins — matrix GLA protein and osteocalcin, which help to build and maintain bones," according to Healthline. Vitamin K2 also helps boost cardiovascular health, as this process helps to clear out calcium buildup in the arteries (arterial calcification), which can lead to heart disease.
There are several studies that show the benefits of vitamin K2 for bone health. In one study of 244 postmenopausal women over a 3-year period, those that were taking a vitamin K2 supplement had less age-related bone loss. Additionally, several trials that focused on bone fractures, reported that vitamin K2 helped to reduce incidences of spinal fractures by 60%, hip fractures by 77%, and all non-spinal fractures by 81%.
If you're looking to up your vitamin K intake, try adding these foods to your diet:
There are technically three compounds in the vitamin D family - vitamin D1, vitamin D2, and of course, vitamin D3 that all makeup what is commonly known as just vitamin D, which is a fat-soluble vitamin. Our bodies, specifically our skin, produce vitamin D naturally when exposed to sunlight, but we also need to ingest it for our overall health and wellness. Beyond the obvious benefits for the immune system and muscle function, vitamin D is also essential for bone health. This is because vitamin D is required by the body to absorb calcium. In fact, if vitamin D is not present, our bodies will absorb calcium very poorly, if at all.
Additionally, vitamin D helps the parathyroid glands balance calcium levels in the blood. The parathyroid gland is constantly communicating between the kidneys, gut, and skeletal structure to ensure that our bodies are properly absorbing and using calcium efficiently. The Cleveland Clinic explains that when this balance is thrown off due to insufficient nutrients bone loss may occur, "When there is sufficient calcium in the diet and sufficient active Vitamin D, dietary calcium is absorbed and put to good use throughout the body. If calcium intake is insufficient, or vitamin D is low, the parathyroid glands will ‘borrow’ calcium from the skeleton in order to keep the blood calcium in the normal range."
When we don't get enough vitamin D either through vitamin d supplements, diet, or sunlight, a vitamin D deficiency can occur that may negatively impact bone health. Low vitamin D levels are most commonly seen in very young children, pregnant women, those over the age of 65, and those on a strict vegan diet and may lead to certain health conditions, including osteoporosis. In one study, German researchers discovered that "vitamin-D deficiency increases both the start and spread of bone fractures by up to 31 percent." Children that don't get enough vitamin D can develop rickets, a disease that causes "bone weakness, bowed legs, and other skeletal deformities, such as stooped posture." Adults can develop a similar disease called Osteomalacia, which causes decreased mineralization in the bones and similar symptoms as rickets.
The National Institutes of Health recommends different daily dose levels of vitamin D depending on your age:
We have these reported in International Units, to convert, multiply the IU 0.025 to see the value as mcg. Try adding some of these vitamin D-rich foods to your diet:
While ensuring our bodies get enough essential nutrients is important for both bone health and overall health, we can also make other changes to our routines and health habits to help build strong bones.
