3 Best Supplements for Bone Health
Were you ever told to drink your milk as a kid because it
gives you strong bones? While there is a lot of questionable nutrition advice
out there these days, this piece of wisdom has stood the test of time. Milk is
a source of a few important vitamins and minerals that are beneficial for your
bone health, and having strong bones as you age—from a little child to a wise
elder—is key for avoiding bone fractures, breaks, and conditions like
osteoporosis. Cow’s milk has been the traditional recommendation bone strength,
but it may also be worth considering the addition of a few supplements for bone
health to your day.
It all starts with bone density. The higher your density
levels are, the stronger your bones will be. Unfortunately, your body will lose
bone density as you age. Women can lose 20% of their bone density within just
five to seven years of having been through menopause.
According to Dalton, GA-based dietitian Trista Best, MPH,
RD, LD, from Balance One Supplements, “Some common causes of bone density loss
include age, lifestyle, and overall health.” Fortunately, Best says it is
possible to increase bone density levels through your diet, supplementation,
and lifestyle habits.
While these three factors play roles in bone density, Best
also points out that your healthcare provider may find integrating a
prescription medicine (or even surgery) may be wise, depending on how much bone
density was lost. “Medications, including bisphosphonates and denosumab, are
commonly prescribed to increase bone density and reduce the risk of fractures
in people with osteoporosis or other conditions affecting bone health,” Best
says.
Unlike prescription medications, supplements are easier to
obtain over the counter and could be a beneficial way to increase your bone
density (depending on a licensed healthcare provider’s recommendations for
you). If you’re looking to fortify your bone health, these are the best
supplements for bone health Best recommends you can ask about.
Vitamin D
If you had to choose the best vitamin for joints and bones,
Best would say getting enough vitamin D is key for keeping them strong. Vitamin
D is needed for calcium absorption and bone mineralization, which in turn
benefits bone density.
Still, vitamin D deficiency can easily happen if you’re not
getting enough sunlight or eating those vitamin D-rich foods. This is where a
supplement comes into play. “If you have a confirmed vitamin D deficiency it
may be beneficial to integrate a vitamin D supplement into your regimen,” Best
says. “Those at risk for a vitamin D deficiency, due to a lack of sun exposure
or plant-based diet, may benefit from a vitamin D supplement to aid in bone
health.”
On the other hand, Best points out that there is such as
thing as vitamin D toxicity if you’re taking in too much of it. “Because
vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, it can become toxic—which means you should
always clear this supplement with your healthcare provider before adding it to
your vitamin routine,” she says.
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Calcium
Vitamin D and calcium go hand-in-hand. That’s why for some,
a calcium supplement may be needed in order to increase bone density numbers.
“A diet rich in calcium and vitamin D, along with potential
supplementation of these nutrients, can help to prevent bone loss and
potentially restore lost bone density,” says Best.
Calcium is a mineral responsible for building and
maintaining healthy bones and teeth. Calcium is also helpful for blood
clotting, as well as the proper functioning of your muscles, heart, and liver.
Calcium is stored in the bones, which is where one’s bone
density numbers come from. Yet, because the body needs calcium for other
functions, it will release those calcium stores into the blood and tissues when
it’s needed. This is why having a steady amount of calcium in the diet—as well
as supplementation, if recommended by a doctor—is majorly vital for the proper
functioning of your body’s organs (and the strength of your bones).
The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium for
women and men ages 19 to 50 is 1,000 milligrams a day, and increases to 1,200
milligrams a day after 51. Because your bone density decreases at a faster rate
as you age, your need for calcium increases.
Best says to first and foremost get calcium from dietary
sources like dairy products, dark leafy green vegetables, fish with edible soft
bones, and calcium-fortified foods. Because there are risks of having too much
calcium in the blood (known as hypercalcemia), be sure to talk to a medical
professional before adding a calcium supplement to your regimen.
Phosphorous
While calcium and vitamin D may seem like obvious
supplements for bone health, Best suggests that a phosphorus supplement also
can be beneficial for keeping your bones strong.
“Phosphorus is equally as important, but gets little
attention for its impact on bone strength,” she explains. “This mineral is
essential for bone health, in that it is essential in regulating calcium
metabolism. Calcium metabolism refers to the processes by which the body
absorbs, transports, and utilizes calcium, a mineral that is essential for
various physiological functions, including bone health.”
While Best does say that phosphorous supplements in
appropriate doses are considered safe to take (as long as you seek guidance
from a healthcare professional), she does highlight a few sources of phosphorus
you can simply get from your diet—like dairy products, meats, poultry, fish,
and nuts. The RDA for phosphorous is 700 milligrams a day for both men and
women above the age of 19. To put that into perspective, a 3 oz. serving of
salmon contains 214 milligrams of phosphorous and one cup of cow’s milk
contains 224 milligrams.