Your bones are not just solid structures that stay the same throughout your life. They are living tissues that constantly rebuild themselves. When you are young, your bones grow strong and dense, reaching their peak strength between your mid-20s and mid-30s. After that, your body starts to use the stored strength from those years. But just because bones naturally weaken over time doesn’t mean they have to become brittle. There are ways to build strong bones and keep them healthy at any age.
One of the most important nutrients for bone health is calcium. This mineral makes bones dense and strong. If you don’t get enough calcium from your diet, your body will take it from your bones, which can lead to osteoporosis—a disease that makes bones weak and more likely to break. To prevent this, it is important to get enough calcium every day. Starting around age 50, adults need about 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily to help stop bone loss. Teens and young adults between 9 and 18 need even more—1,300 milligrams daily—to build up bone strength for the future. You can get calcium from foods such as yogurt, tofu, baked beans, and canned salmon with bones.
Vitamin D is just as important as calcium because it helps your body absorb calcium. Without enough vitamin D, your body cannot use the calcium in food properly, which weakens your bones over time. Your body can make vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight for just a few minutes each day. You can also get vitamin D from fatty fish, like salmon and tuna, fortified milk and cereals, eggs, and pork. If your vitamin D levels are too low, your doctor may recommend a supplement, but taking too much can be harmful, so it’s best to get your levels checked first.
Exercise is another key way to keep bones strong. When you work out, your body responds by building more bone. Regular exercise not only helps prevent the bone loss that starts in your 30s but also strengthens muscles, which improves balance and reduces the risk of falls. The best exercises for bone health include weight-bearing activities like running, walking, dancing, and stair climbing. These activities work against gravity and help make bones denser. Strength training, such as lifting weights, doing pushups, or using resistance bands, also helps because it puts pressure on bones, encouraging them to grow stronger. Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise every day to keep bones healthy.
Smoking is a serious threat to bone health. The nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco slow down the production of bone-building cells, making bones weaker and more likely to break. Smoking also reduces blood flow to bones, which is especially concerning for the spine, as it already receives less blood than other parts of the body. Quitting smoking can greatly reduce the risk of bone loss and fractures.
A diet high in added sugars can also harm bones. Sugary drinks, cookies, and processed foods can cause the body to lose calcium and magnesium through urine, preventing bones from getting the nutrients they need. Sugar can also block the absorption of calcium in the intestines, making it harder for the body to use the calcium from food. Replacing sugary foods with whole, nutrient-rich foods can help protect bone health.
Drinking too much alcohol can weaken bones in two ways. First, it makes people more likely to fall, increasing the risk of fractures. Second, alcohol interferes with osteoblasts, the cells responsible for building bone. Heavy drinking is defined as 15 or more drinks per week for men and eight or more drinks per week for women. This level of drinking can seriously impact bone strength. It is unclear whether moderate drinking has any effect on bone health, but keeping alcohol intake low is the safest option.
Taking care of your bones is something you can do at any age. Getting enough calcium and vitamin D, exercising regularly, avoiding smoking, reducing added sugar, and limiting alcohol can all help keep bones strong. While bone loss is a natural part of aging, these simple steps can help prevent osteoporosis and keep bones healthy for life.