Boost Your Bone Strength

7 surprising ways to increase density

Amy Paturel

AARP Bulletin

Comments

Published March 08, 2017

7 Surprising Ways to Strengthen Your Bones

Hero Images

Get Stronger

Vitamin D is a critical bone-building nutrient. It improves absorption of calcium from the gut, helps increase bone density and enhances muscle function, reducing the risk of falls and fractures. Trouble is, it’s tough to get adequate D from food alone. A glass of milk supplies only about 100 international units (IUs), but the Institute of Medicine’s most recent recommendations call for 600 IUs daily. The solution: 15 minutes in the sun. That’s all you need to make enough vitamin D for your body, while avoiding the risk of skin cancer.

soak up the sun to get bone-building vitamin D

gilaxia

Soak up some sun

Your mother was right — you should eat your vegetables. Especially dark, leafy greens, such as collards, kale, spinach and bok choy, which are good sources of calcium, as well as bone-building nutrients such as potassium, magnesium and vitamin K. A 2015 study published in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that people ages 45 to 83 who shunned plant foods had an 88 percent higher rate of hip fracture compared with those who ate the recommended five servings of fruits and vegetables daily.

Viktor_Gladkov

Jump for joy

People who drink moderately — no more than one drink a day for women, two for men — have higher bone density than nondrinkers or heavy drinkers, recent studies have found. Beer may be particularly helpful because it contains dietary silicon, a nutrient vital for bone strength — but stick to one or two drinks. More than that can weaken bone-building cells, Deal says.

a couple eating leafy greens for bone health

Alexandra Iakovleva

Eat your veggies

A diet high in grains and bread may be bad for your bones. Research from Tufts University suggests the sulfur compounds in grains can increase the body’s acidity and trigger bone loss. To get the most bang for your bone-building buck, don’t go overboard on grains; focus instead on adding more fruits and vegetables to your diet, which can counteract acidity.

drinking alcohol moderately may increase bone density

jordan_rusev

Have a little alcohol

By the time we reach 50, both men and women are losing bone mass, thanks to a slowdown in the body’s bone-rebuilding process. Diet and lack of exercise can also play a role. Women can lose up to 5 percent of their bone mass in the first six years following menopause, thanks to a loss of estrogen, says Chad Deal, M.D., head of the Center for Osteoporosis and Metabolic Bone Disease at the Cleveland Clinic. That means women can lose more than 20 percent of bone density in less than a decade with complications ranging from osteoporosis to fractures and falls.
Good news: You can reduce this threat by developing the following bone-strengthening habits.