Strong bones are built one ordinary day at a time, and it is never too early or too late to start. As a kid, you were probably told to finish your milk for strong bones. Calcium is important, and the real key to a strong skeleton goes beyond a daily glass of milk. That's why we're sharing simple, science-backed habits that are easy to fit into your daily routine and help carry you through a long and active life.

Best Nutrition Tips for Bone Health

1. Choose Greens

Leafy green vegetables like kale, broccoli and swiss chard provide both calcium and vitamin C, two nutrients that work together for strong bones.

While calcium supports bone structure and hardness, vitamin C is needed to make collagen, the framework for bone. A review study found that higher vitamin C intake is associated with better bone health.

Other food sources of vitamin C include citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, winter squash, and tomatoes.

2. Reach for Protein

Protein is an important nutrient for building muscle and maintaining strong bones. In fact, about half of bone volume is made of protein, mostly collagen, and protein works together with calcium for bone health.

While you don’t need to overdo the amount of protein in your diet, be sure to eat an adequate amount to support your skeletal system. Find the right amount of protein for your size by multiplying your weight in pounds by 0.36. The result is the number of grams of protein you should consume each day.

For a bone health bonus, aim to pair protein with other nutrients, like calcium. Foods high in protein and calcium include dairy products like yogurt, milk and cheese, seeds, and sardines.

3. Make Calcium a Habit

We couldn’t leave this one off the list of the best dietary tricks for bone health, could we? While it’s important to make calcium part of your daily routine, timing also matters. It’s best to spread your calcium intake out throughout the day.

Your body can only effectively absorb 500mg of calcium at a time. And if you consume more than 1000mg at a time, your absorption rate actually decreases below 500mg. For this reason, the best strategy is to space out your calcium intake into several meals.

The recommended daily intake (RDI) of calcium for adults is 1000mg and 1300mg for growing teens. For reference, 1 cup of fortified dairy or almond milk contains 300mg of calcium.

Best Lifestyle Tips for Optimal Bone Health

1. Get Moving

While it might sound counterintuitive, weight-bearing and high-impact exercises are actually great for your bones. Jogging, lifting weights, and using resistance bands are all healthy ways to strengthen your muscles, cardiovascular system, and skeleton. Try these bone strengthening exercises. 

This is especially true for growing kids and teenagers. Regular exercise supports healthy bone mass development in young, growing bodies and helps slow bone loss with age.

2. Get Outside

The best place to get all of that beneficial exercise? In the sun and fresh air! Vitamin D deficiency is increasingly common, especially among kids. Kids, teens and adults need at least 600iu of vitamin D daily.

Our skin makes vitamin D from sunlight, but depending on your climate and the season, it can be difficult to get enough in a safe way. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium (ODS), so if you are not getting enough from sun and food, ask your doctor whether a vitamin D supplement makes sense for you.

3. Watch Your Weight

Body weight also plays a role in bone health. Very low body weight is linked to bone loss in adults (especially women), and excess weight is linked to a higher risk of fractures in children. Regular activity and balanced meals support a healthy weight and healthy bones at the same time.

Conclusion

Bone health is central to overall wellness and healthy development. After all, without a strong, mobile skeleton, we don't have much to stand on! Building healthy diet and lifestyle habits early is one of the best ways to support healthy development, avoid injury and keep bones strong as an adult. Food comes first; if your diet falls short, ask your doctor whether a supplement makes sense. Put these tips into practice and enjoy the benefits of a healthy skeleton for life.

What is your best tip to strengthen your bones? Please let us know below in the comment section. 

References

Brzezińska, O., Łukasik, Z., Makowska, J., & Walczak, K. (2020). Role of Vitamin C in Osteoporosis Development and Treatment—A Literature Review. Nutrients, 12(8), 2394. doi:10.3390/nu12082394

Carter, M. I., & Hinton, P. S. (2014). Physical activity and bone health. Missouri medicine, 111(1), 59–64.

Dolan, E., & Sale, C. (2018). Protein and bone health across the lifespan. Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 78(1), 45-55. doi:10.1017/s0029665118001180

Gunter, K. B., Almstedt, H. C., & Janz, K. F. (2012). Physical Activity in Childhood May Be the Key to Optimizing Lifespan Skeletal Health. Exercise and Sport Sciences Reviews, 40(1), 13-21. doi:10.1097/jes.0b013e318236e5ee

Roh, Y. E., Kim, B. R., Choi, W. B., Kim, Y. M., Cho, M. J., Kim, H. Y., Park, K. H., Kim, K. H., Chun, P., Kim, S. Y., & Kwak, M. J. (2016). Vitamin D deficiency in children aged 6 to 12 years: single center's experience in Busan. Annals of pediatric endocrinology & metabolism, 21(3), 149–154. https://doi.org/10.6065/apem.2016.21.3.149

Sources

1. NIH Office of Dietary Supplements. Vitamin D: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals. ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/
2. Weaver CM, et al. The National Osteoporosis Foundation's position statement on peak bone mass development and lifestyle factors. Osteoporos Int. 2016;27(4):1281-1386. doi:10.1007/s00198-015-3440-3. doi.org/10.1007/s00198-015-3440-3