DEXA Scan Bone Density — DEXA Scan at a Fitnescity partner test location. © Fitnescity

About half of all women over 50 will experience a broken bone at some point due to low bone mineral density (BMD). Those injuries can lead to major setbacks in function and independence from which some may never fully recover. With age, bone mineral density reduces. Various factors can speed up this process.

What is bone mineral density?

The term bone mineral density refers to the amount of minerals in bone. The human skeleton is a storehouse of calcium and phosphorus, which are crucial for the body. Evidence shows that your bones contain 99% and 80% of the body’s calcium and phosphorus, respectively. Calcium provides rigidity to your teeth and bones, and it’s also essential for healthy muscles and nerves.

Bone mineral density is at its highest between the ages of 25 and 35 years. As you age, bone mineral density starts decreasing. However, some people develop osteopenia or low bone mineral density, which indicates that the reduction in BMD is higher than expected for a person’s age. Around 34 million Americans have osteopenia. This condition is considered a precursor for osteoporosis, but not everyone with osteopenia will develop it.

Osteoporosis is defined as a disease that weakens bones, making them brittle, fragile, and prone to fractures. Studies show the global prevalence of osteoporosis and osteopenia is around 19.7% and 40.4%, respectively.

Imaging tests for bone mineral density are important because they reveal whether your bones are healthy or you’re at risk of developing osteoporosis.

Is it possible to increase bone mineral density?

Reduction in BMD paves the way to weak bones and fractures. Broken bones require lengthy healing time, and severely impact your mobility and quality of life. The good news is that you can increase bone mineral density with simple lifestyle adjustments. Below, you can see how to make it happen.

Incorporate weightlifting in your exercise routine

Physical activity is crucial for every aspect of our health, and bone mineral density is an important one. In order to increase bone density, it’s important to be active and exercise more. While every type of exercise is better than no exercise at all, resistance training is particularly useful, according to a paper from Endocrinology and Metabolism. The same paper explains that resistance training increases the cross-sectional area of trained muscles as well as their power and force. It prevents the loss of bone and muscle.

Weightlifting, which is a type of resistance exercise, can promote new bone growth and maintain the existing structure of your bones. A review from BioMed Research International reported that weight-bearing aerobic exercise can limit the loss of bone mass, while weightlifting or strength training exercises increase muscle and bone mass density. These exercises are site-specific, meaning they increase bone mineral density in areas you target during workout sessions.

A study from Sensors used dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) to measure the effects of training protocol (strength training for six months) on bone mineral density in postmenopausal women with osteopenia or osteoporosis and made an interesting discovery. The results showed that at the end of the study, statistically significant improvements in bone mineral density occurred in the strength training group.

Activities that form stress on your bones may stimulate extra deposits of calcium and “push” bone-forming cells into action.

In addition to increasing BMD, weightlifting and strength training can improve your balance and coordination too. Men and women alike can engage in weightlifting. If you’ve never done it, start small and work your way up.

Increase calcium intake

Calcium is a vital nutrient for bone health and functioning. Evidence confirms that insufficient consumption of calcium can negatively affect your bones. For that reason, one of the most important things to do for higher bone density is to increase intake of this mineral.

A study from BMJ found that increasing calcium intake through dietary sources increased bone mineral density by 0.6% to 1.0% in the hip and total body after one year. It also increased bone mineral density at these sites and lumbar spine and femoral neck by 0.7% to 1.8% in two years.

While these percentages seem modest, they do confirm the positive impact of calcium intake on BMD. Combine this approach with other strategies for an even better effect on bone density.

Good sources of calcium are milk, cheese, yogurt, beans, sardines, figs, seeds, leafy greens such as kale, and fortified products.

Check your vitamin D and vitamin K intake

Dietary modifications play an important role in increasing bone density. That’s why you should increase the intake of vitamin K. This particular vitamin may increase bone density and reduce the risk of fractures. Vitamin K decreases the loss of calcium and helps minerals bind to your bones. Good sources of vitamin K include broccoli, spinach, kale, eggs, Brussels sprouts, sauerkraut, cheese, and natto.

Vitamin D is crucial for the absorption of calcium and bone mineralization. You need sufficient levels of the sunshine vitamin to get the most from the calcium you consume. Good sources of vitamin D are oily fish, egg yolks, red meat, liver, and fortified products.

Maintain weight in a healthy range

A healthy weight is necessary for optimal bone density. Being overweight or obese puts excessive stress on your bones. Excess weight causes low-grade inflammation, which harms your bones due to upregulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines.

Being underweight is also bad for your bones. Evidence confirms that being underweight increases the risk of fractures, as low BMI often correlates with low bone mineral density.

Since excess weight and underweight alike harm bone health and may affect mineral density, it’s crucial to keep your weight in a healthy range. You can accomplish that with regular exercise and a well-balanced diet.

Avoid smoking

Smoking is an unhealthy habit that reduces bone mineral density. Studies reveal that bone mineral density in heavy smokers was 4% lower and hip density 6% lower than in nonsmokers. Absorption of calcium was lower in heavy smokers too.

Quitting smoking is among the best lifestyle adjustments you can make for good health and well-being. These negative effects can be reversed by cessation of smoking.

How to tell if bone density has increased?

The best way to gain insight into bone density is to do a DEXA scan. The DEXA scan is considered the gold standard for measuring bone mineral density and body composition. This non-invasive imaging test takes 10 to 15 minutes, and it relies on two different frequencies of low-dose X-ray to scan your body. When you do a DEXA scan at Fitnescity, you also gain access to your personal dashboard. There, you can see whether your bone density is in the low range and track your progress.

Conclusion

Bone mineral density tends to deplete with age, but lifestyle factors can exacerbate this process. However, it’s possible to increase bone density with exercise such as weightlifting and with dietary adjustments. Make sure to maintain your weight in a healthy range and take supplements if needed. Do a DEXA scan to track your progress and gain a detailed insight into your bone mineral density. Find the list of DEXA scan locations here.