Three Nutrients to Help You Maintain Bone Density with Age
March 25, 2025
Your body has the capacity to break down and build new bone tissue, but the rate at which new bone mass is created slows down over time. When there’s a fast decline of bone mass, it increases the risk of osteoporosis, a condition that makes you more prone to bone fractures and breaks. About half of all women over 50 will experience a broken bone at some point. Those injuries can lead to significant setbacks in function and independence, from which some patients never fully recover. Knowing your bone density and taking precautionary measures may play a major role in reducing the rate of bone loss later in life. This includes plenty of exercise and getting the right nutrients. Even in older adults, certain nutrients can play a role in helping to maintain bone density.
Bone Mass and Age
Understanding how bone mass changes with age is essential. This can help you get a better view of why it’s important to incorporate the right nutrients into your diet. Measuring your bone density with a DEXA bone density test can provide insight into where your bone strength is compared to your demographic.
The maximum bone strength and size that you reach throughout your lifespan is called the peak bone mass. Bones continue to strengthen during adolescence and early adulthood. You usually reach your peak bone mass when you’re aged between 25 and 30. By 40, you start to lose some of your bone mass. This is because your body doesn’t create bone mass at the same rate at which it degrades. If your bone mass declines too much, it leads to increased risk for osteoporosis. This is when the rate of bone tissue being broken down is significantly higher than the pace at which your body can replace it.
Important Nutrients for Maintaining Bone Mass
Research shows that nutrition plays a role in maintaining bone mass as you age. It’s a good idea to begin implementing these nutritional strategies at a young age, especially as you get close to your peak bone mass period. However, even later in life, adding more bone-healthy vitamins to your diet can be useful.
Several nutrients can help to improve the strength and density of your bones, but some of the most important ones include vitamin D and calcium. In addition to these, you should also include enough protein in your diet, as this is also a factor that contributes to your bone health. Let’s take a look at each of these nutrients and the role they play:
Calcium
Calcium is well-known for its role in building bone tissue. It plays a crucial role in maintaining healthy bones over the years.
There is a lot of research on calcium and its role in bone health. It has been shown that people who get enough calcium through their diet have a lower risk of developing osteoporosis. As a result, calcium also helps to reduce your risk of experiencing bone fractures.
It is recommended to get 1,000 mg of calcium on a daily basis. This can be done through diet. There are lots of healthy ways to add more calcium to your diet. Some examples include dairy products, such as milk; leafy greens and fatty fish are also rich sources of calcium.
If you’re unable to get enough calcium through your diet, then taking a supplement can be useful.
Vitamin D
People often overlook the important role of vitamin D when it comes to bone health. This particular nutrient plays a role in helping your bones properly absorb the calcium you add to your diet. That is also why you will see that certain calcium supplements include some vitamin D.
In addition to ensuring your body can effectively absorb calcium from your food, vitamin D also reduces the risk of osteoporosis, particularly in older adults. It provides several other important bodily functions, such as keeping your immune system healthy.
Protein
While protein is often associated with lean mass, it’s important to understand that it also plays a role in maintaining your bone tissue. In fact, protein is a component of your bone tissue, making it an essential nutrient you need to include in your diet.
When you don’t get enough protein in your diet, it can reduce the production of certain hormones, such as IGF-1. These hormones play a role in the formation of bones, so when their production declines, you experience a higher risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
Conclusion
Many people start to lose bone mass at around 40 after they’ve passed their peak bone mass. At this point, it’s essential to focus on slowing down the rate of this loss. Research shows that adding more calcium, vitamin D, and protein to your diet can play a role in maintaining bone mass as you age. There are several ways to increase your intake of these nutrients, but it’s a good idea to start with adjustments to your diet.
References
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/osteoporosis/osteoporosis
