How to Strengthen Your Bones and Reduce Osteoporosis Risk

Don’t overeat, though: Some research suggests that too much calcium increases the risk of heart disease in people over 45, and it may also increase the risk of kidney stones. Jeri Nieves, a clinical epidemiologist and nutrition researcher at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health, recommended consuming no more than 2,000 milligrams of calcium per day, either through diet or supplements.

Don’t forget vitamin D.

Vitamin D is another important nutrient for bones, partly because it helps the body absorb calcium. According to the National Academy of Medicine, an independent nonprofit organization that provides guidelines on a range of subjects, people between the ages of 1 and 70 should consume at least 600 International Units (IU) per day, while those over 70 should get 800 IU. Foods rich in vitamin D are salmon, sardines, dairy products and fortified juices.

It can be difficult to meet our vitamin D needs from food sources, so Dr. Horwitz often takes vitamin D supplements — typically between 800 and 2,000 IU per day — but check with your doctor first. You can also get enough vitamin D by spending about 30 minutes a day in the sun, four to five times a week, she said, but this can be more difficult if you’re wearing sunscreen.

If you’re not sure you’re getting enough vitamin D, ask your doctor about a vitamin D blood test, she recommended. Note that values ​​often drop in winter and spring because we spend less time outdoors – so be sure to supplement during the winter months.

Stand up.

To maintain strong bones, experts recommend regular physical activity such as walking or running. “Walking is a weight-bearing exercise that builds and maintains strong bones and also increases your muscle strength, coordination, and balance, which can help prevent falls and fractures,” said Dr. Nieves.

Many people misinterpret the phrase “weight training” to mean they should lift heavy weights, but that’s not the case, said Dr. Horwitz. To keep your leg, foot, and hip bones healthy, all you have to do is support your own body weight while you move, she explained. To keep the bones in your upper body healthy, strengthening exercises can help, but light weights will do, she added.

Regarding the level of exercise to aim for, Dr. Nieves published the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which recommend that adults get 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and engage in muscle-strengthening exercise at least two days a week.