Strong bones throughout life aren’t a given, and women may be impacted more than men.

1- What Is Bone Density?

One in two woman over 50 will break a bone because of low bone density. In fact, everyone will lose bone as they age. But for some of us, that risk looks a lot bigger. 

Bone density refers to the amount of minerals (mostly phosphorus and calcium) in your bones. The more mineral content, the “denser” (and stronger) your bones. Bone density testing measures the strength of your bones. It can also reveal whether you have a bone disease and predict how likely your bones are to break.

To be fair, we lose some bone at every stage of life. Just like our bodies are constantly replacing cells, we’re also losing and replacing bone. But the difference is that when we’re younger, our bodies are quick to replace any bone loss. The script flips around the time we pass the age of 50 - we start losing bone faster than we’re able to form it. This puts us at risk for a range of diseases and injuries, including osteopenia, osteoporosis, and bone fractures or breakage. 

Monitoring bone density is a great defense against bone loss because it shows your unique risk level of various diseases so you can start preventative treatments early.

The importance of bone density can’t be overstated. Here’s why you should care.

One in two woman over 50 will break a bone because of low bone density. In fact, everyone will lose bone as they age.

2- Why Bone Density Matters

Osteopenia is a loss of bone mass that causes your bones to become weaker which stems from the loss of calcium. When you start losing calcium, your bones can become more brittle. Your body is unable to replace the calcium as fast as it loses it and eventually, this can lead to another serious bone condition called osteoporosis.

Osteoporosis also weakens the bone, but it’s more serious than osteopenia. Your bones become so thin that even a slight bump against the wall can lead to a fracture or break. Your bones may even start to form holes, or pores, because so much material has been lost.

Anyone can develop osteopenia or osteoporosis. But these bone diseases tend to affect individuals over the age of 50 more than younger people. And women are usually impacted more than men.

Studies show that 50% of women and 20% of men will break a bone at some point in their lives due to osteoporosis. It’s considered a silent disease because a broken bone is usually its first clear sign. It’s not something you can feel happening inside your body, and you certainly can’t see it.

Broken bones can stop us from living our best lives. But even if you only have a diagnosis and no broken bones (yet), you’re still unable to do all the things you want to do. You might have to take life at a slower pace and you might not be as active as you’d like to be - for fear of an injury. It might mean missing out on family hikes and even make it harder to climb stairs at home. You may not be able to consume your favorite foods—with caffeine and salty foods potentially  making osteoporosis worse.

Some studies even show that people with healthy bones have longer lifespans compared to those with reduced bone health, and that stronger bones may be a key to longer life. Therefore, taking care of bone health can be critical for longevity.

3- How to Increase Bone Density

If you’re young and healthy, you might not think you need to do anything to increase or maintain your bone density. But the truth is that it’s never too early to check in on your bone density through a DEXA Body Composition and Bone Density Scan, as aging is definitely not the only factor. Lifestyle, including exercise and nutrition, and genetics play an important role. Also, the older you get, the more of a priority this will be. The good news is that there are ways you can naturally increase your bone density. 

1. Do strength training exercises

According to Harvard Health, building strong muscles also builds strong bones. The idea is that any type of activity that puts stress on the bones will “nudge” bone-forming cells into action. There’s a lot of pushing and pulling involved in strength training, helping keep your bones active—especially your hips, wrists, and spine, which are the most likely to suffer a fracture. Any type of weight-bearing exercises, including lifting weights can improve bone strength and slow bone loss. 

For more insight on body recomposition, check our article on how to build muscle while losing weight.

And if you think you’re too old to be super active, look no further than the National Senior Games. The event was created specifically for individuals age 50 or older, and competitors prove that age is truly just a number. The NSG covers 20 sports, each requiring unique ranges of motion and muscle groups. Similar to professional athletes, seniors train for this annual event and must qualify for the event the year before. It’s inspiring to see older individuals play a range of sports, from tennis to soccer to track and field. 

2. Eat Calcium-rich foods

Calcium-rich foods can also help stave off the effects of osteoporosis. The World Health Organization recommends a daily allowance of 500 mg of calcium. However, this amount varies by source. For instance, in the United States, experts recommend double this amount. Milk is not the only source of calcium, with almonds, salmon, kale, broccoli, and other dairy products serving as calcium-rich foods. 

Foodies beware: more calcium isn’t always better for you. There is such a thing as having too much, which can actually weaken your bones, impact your heart and brain, and even lead to kidney stones.

3. Check your Vitamin D levels

Vitamin D can prove beneficial for those with osteoporosis or anyone concerned about bone density. Part of the problem with taking calcium is that it’s not always absorbed into your bones, and Vitamin D supports better absorption. You can get your daily dose of Vitamin D from oily fish, milk, leafy greens, and good old-fashioned sunlight. Likewise, you can take Vitamin D and calcium supplements if you’re not getting enough through your regular diet. 

Another study showed that Vitamin C may protect your bone health. Citrus fruits, bell peppers, strawberries, kiwis, and tomatoes are all great natural sources of Vitamin C. Increasing your protein intake may also help with bone density increases. This study of 144,000 participants found that those who increased their protein intake also increased their overall bone density.

When making any type of diet changes to improve bone density, it is a great idea to consult your physician or even a nutritionist. Diets that are too low in calories can contribute to bone loss and can cause a range of other health problems, including heart issues. 

4- Can You Monitor Bone Density?

Nearly 50% of women skipped their bone density screenings last year. As women are disproportionately affected by bone loss, skipping screenings is highly discouraged. In fact, a lot of women will assume that they don’t need screenings because they feel fine, or they simply underestimate the risks. 

Losing bone mass and density is a natural part of aging, but that doesn’t mean you’re completely powerless against it.

Most young people (40s and below) have no idea about their bone density. That’s because their doctors likely aren’t talking to them about it at this stage of life. A 30-year old in perfect health isn’t going to be prescribed a DEXA scan to measure bone density, and insurance isn’t going to pay for it. Why bother since bone density peaks at around age 35 and stays pretty stable until you’re almost 50?

While bone density is assumed to be okay until the age of 50, everyone is different. One way to investigate further is by monitoring your total bone density through your DEXA scans for body composition. While you may be getting your DEXA scans to monitor your body fat and non-fat mass, you will also receive your total bone mineral density result as well as a z-score (how you compare to your peer group). Keeping an eye on these numbers over time will inform you if your total bone density starts to decline earlier than normal. This is great information to take to your physician so that you can take action (the sooner, the better).

5- How to Obtain Your Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and Z-score

DEXA, or Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry, is a technology that can measure bone density by passing a high and low energy x-ray beam through the body, usually in the hip and the spine.

To be clear, a DEXA scan is not a treatment, nor can it directly help or improve bone diseases like osteopenia or osteoporosis. However, it can help inform you about potential bone loss (read: before you break a bone) so that you can start making lifestyle changes to reduce its effects. 

On your Fitnescity Dashboard, you will have a page dedicated to Bone Mineral Density. This page will include your result, Z-Score and also your percentile (compared to your peer group).