How to optimize your nutrition to support and maintain the health of your bones
The human body is composed of bone, muscle and fat in proportions that are unique to each of us.
Bone makes up about 15% of our mass and is a living tissue, removing old bone cells and rebuilding with new ones. As we age, this becomes less efficient, with old bone removed faster than it can be replaced.
Osteoporosis — a medical condition in which the bones become brittle and fragile — affects 10 million Americans, and 44 million have osteopenia, or low bone density.
One in two women and one in four men over 50 will experience a fracture in their lifetime from osteoporosis. A woman’s risk of osteoporosis equals her combined risk of breast, uterine and ovarian cancer. A man is more likely to break a bone because of osteoporosis than he is to get prostate cancer.
It’s estimated that by 2025, osteoporosis will be responsible for 3 million fractures annually at a cost of $25.3 billion.
Along with regular weight-bearing and strength training activities, the foods you eat play a large role in preventing and managing bone loss. Here’s a breakdown of key things to keep in mind:
Calcium
Calcium is a critical mineral for bones. The National Academy of Sciences recommends women 19 to 50 years old and men 19 to 70 consume 1000 milligrams daily. Women older than 50 and men over 70 are advised to consume 1,200 milligrams from food and supplements.
A “food first” approach is typically advised vs. an over-reliance on dietary supplements.
Since the body might not be able to absorb and process large doses of calcium at one time, it’s advisable to take no more than 500 milligrams at a time, and less might be better. You might want to take any calcium supplements in divided doses throughout the day. Calcium carbonate, the most common calcium supplement, should be taken with food. Calcium citrate can be taken with or without food.
Calcium supplements can interfere with the absorption of medications; ask your pharmacist about the best timing for taking calcium.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D works with calcium in maintaining bone health. The daily target for vitamin D is 600 IU for adults 19 to 70 years old and 800 IU over 70. It’s found in foods fortified with vitamin D — such as dairy products, orange juice, soy milk and cereals — as well as fatty fish, beef liver and egg yolks.
But our main source comes from production in the skin in response to sun exposure in the summertime, which can be problematic for people who have little or no sun exposure or who live in wintry climates for much of the year.
Recent research published by JAMA Network Open indicates that “taking both calcium and vitamin D supplements could trim the number of people who suffer fractured hips.” After reviewing data from 17 studies of nearly 84,000 people, most in their upper 60s or older, investigators found that those taking calcium and vitamin D were about 16% less likely to break a hip and 6% less likely to break any bone. No protection was found for people taking just vitamin D.
Protein
Optimal protein intake is important for bone health. A rule of thumb is a daily intake in grams of roughly half your weight in pounds. For a woman who weighs 150 pounds, recommended intake would be 75 grams of protein.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K, found mainly in green and leafy vegetables, helps in calcium regulation and the formation of bone. Consuming one of more servings of vitamin K-rich foods can cut the risk of fracture in half. So have spinach, kale, broccoli, collards, turnip greens and dark green lettuces daily. If you are on a blood-thinner like Coumadin, you can still consume these foods but need to be consistent in their intake day to day.
Beverages
Intake of beverages can affect the absorption of calcium and lead to bone loss:
Alcohol: Limit to one drink per day for women, two drinks a day for men.
Caffeine: daily limit of three cups of coffee. Environmental Nutrition is an independent newsletter written by nutrition experts to provide accurate information on health and nutrition.