Your bones form the larger skeletal system, protect your organs, and store calcium and many other minerals that other systems of the body rely on to function properly. Treat your bones well and they will stick with you for a lifetime.
Unfortunately, the bones, like many other areas of the body, start to function more poorly as we age. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) indicates that by the time you reach 30, your bones will have reached peak mass and slowly lose mass over the rest of your life. You may already be familiar with the increased health risks associated with falls in seniors who have weak bones. But younger people too should think about how bone health affects them today so they can make changes to support bone health in the future.
Keep reading to learn about just a few of the nutrients you should add to your daily diet and healthy habits that may support the strength of bones.
Nutrients for Bone Health
Bones are complex structures made from soft tissue that mineralizes and becomes hard, providing structure to the body and protecting the bone marrow that makes red blood cells and other important functions.
The bones are also always changing and being repaired. For this reason, making sure the body has enough of the right nutrients is important to maintaining both bone growth and maintenance. Through researching health articles on the National Center for Biotechnology Information database, you can find suggestions for what nutrients may be best for supporting optimal bone health, from most to less essential:
- Calcium
- Vitamin D
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Potassium
- Vitamin A
- Zinc
- Vitamin B12, C, and K
You can find a mix of these nutrients in vegetables (the darker or more colorful the better), animal products, fruit, grains, and other health dietary items. If diet restrictions or other health challenges limit your food choices, you can lean on supplements to help fill nutritional gaps.
Of course, there are a lot of supplement brands out there, so before making a choice, take a minute to learn about each one!
Supplement Brands You Should Consider
Jarrow Formulas
Jarrow Formulas is an award winning brand that has received recognition for many of its supplements, including the Bone-Up formula that supports bones and joints. Jarrow Formulas products are made with quality ingredients that more people can afford.
Standard Process
Standard Process supplements start with a whole food base to ensure that every product contains vitamins, trace minerals, phytonutrients from nature. Standard Process offers formulas for almost every need.
New Chapter
New Chapter specializes in crafting formulas using live probiotics, organic yeast, and whole foods. The outcome? New Chapter supplements offer optimal bioavailability and comfort for more people.
Thorne Research
Thorne Research is best known for hypoallergenic nutritional supplements that help to fill nutritional gaps and support the health needs of individuals. If other supplement brands cause a negative reaction in your body, make the switch to Thorne Research.
Metagenics
Metagenics builds each product from the idea that nutrition can help each person to realize their genetic potential. Metagenics works closely with healthcare professionals and researchers to understand the differences and similarities between people to create a supplement to work with the body to support positive outcomes.
Daily Habits That Promote Bone Health
According to the NIH, Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National Resource Center, staying active is a great way to support bone mass and strength.
Low impact exercises and activities that offer a lot of variety contributes to muscle strength, coordination, balance, and bone strength. These benefits are complementary, helping to ensure that we avoid more slips and falls, have more solid bones, and stay healthy during our lifetime so we can continue to enjoy all our bones do for us into old age.
