Bone Health

Also known asBones · Bone Density · Bone Strength · Strong Bones · Calcium for Bones · 骨骼健康 · 骨密度

What it is

Bone is living tissue that is constantly broken down and rebuilt. We reach peak bone mass in our late twenties; after that, we slowly lose bone, faster in women after the menopause. Strong bones depend on what we do in childhood and early adulthood, but diet and exercise help at every age.

How food and lifestyle can help

Bones need calcium to build, vitamin D to absorb it, enough protein, and force: weight-bearing and resistance exercise tell bone to stay dense.

Foods and nutrients to focus on

1. Calcium from dairy, or from fortified plant milks, tofu set with calcium, small fish eaten with the bones (sardines, ikan bilis), almonds, and green vegetables such as kai lan and bok choy. Adults generally need about 700 to 1,200 mg a day, depending on age, sex and the guideline used.
2. Vitamin D from sensible sunshine, oily fish, eggs and fortified foods; many older adults and people who cover their skin or stay indoors need a supplement (roughly 10 to 20 micrograms, or 400 to 800 IU, a day).
3. Protein at each meal, and fruit and vegetables, which supply vitamin K, magnesium and potassium.

Foods and drinks to limit

1. A lot of salt, which makes the body lose calcium (sodium).
2. Heavy drinking and smoking.
3. Very high intakes of vitamin A from liver and supplements (retinol), linked with weaker bones.

Good to know

1. Weight-bearing and strength exercise two to three times a week (walking, stairs, lifting) plus balance work such as tai chi.
2. More calcium than you need from supplements does not strengthen bone and can cause constipation and kidney stones.
3. Very low body weight and crash dieting weaken bones, especially in teenagers and young women.

When to see a doctor

1. You break a bone after a minor fall or bump, are losing height, or have a stooped back.
2. You have risk factors such as early menopause, long-term steroid use or a family history of fractures: ask about a bone density scan.
3. See Osteoporosis Risk.

This page is general information, not medical advice. If you have a medical condition or take medicines, check changes to your diet with your doctor or a registered dietitian.

NHS — Osteoporosis, used for the main facts: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/osteoporosis/