At What Age Should You Start Worrying About Better Bone Health?

Should You Be Thinking About Better Bone Health?

Bone health is something most people don’t start worrying about until they have already lost a significant amount of bone density already. In light of this, we should thinking about better bone health much earlier than most of us do.

Osteoporosis is a condition where a significant amount of bone density has been lost over time, making the bones brittle and subject to breakage. If or when you get osteoporosis depends in large part on how much bone mass you have before the decline starts.

It makes sense that the more bone mass you have in the beginning, the longer it will take to lose it to the point where you are diagnosed as having osteoporosis, if you develop it at all.

What Affects Better Bone Health?

Bone mass is affected by several factors, some of which are in your control, while others are genetic based and are not.

From birth to about age 30, our bone mass in continually on the increase. The body is making new bone mass faster than the old bone mass is deteriorating. After approximately the age of 30 though, our bone mass starts to diminish. We are still replacing bone loss, but at a much slower rate than before. We are starting to lose ground in regard to the amount of bone mass.

Free Report: 11 Foods To Eat For Healthy Bones

Calcium intake

Not getting the recommended amount of calcium daily, either through food or supplements, means a diminished amount of bone density. But that isn’t the whole story. Adults age 19 to 50, and men 51 to 70, should get at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day. For men over age 70 and women over age 50, the amount increases to 1,200 milligrams per day. Healthy food high in calcium include dairy products, fatty fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel, dark leafy green vegetables and soy products.

Vitamin D

Not getting enough of this vitamin slows down the absorption rate so even if you’re getting enough calcium, it might not be getting into your bones. Just 15 to 20 minutes of sun exposure gives you more than enough vitamin D – around 10,000 IUs. If you can’t get exposure to the sun at least twice a week, ensure you get at least 600 international units (IUs) if aged between 19 to 70 and 800 IUs for adults age 71 and older, either through food or supplements.

Exercise

There is a direct connection to being physically active and a lowered risk of getting osteoporosis. Be sure to get at least 150 minutes per week of weight-bearing activity.

Genetics

If you have a parent that has osteoporosis, or you’re of Caucasian or Asian descent, your risk of getting osteoporosis is already elevated. The only way to counteract it is by building up your bones while young to gain maximum density.

Unhealthy Habits

Study results have shown a link between smoking and excessive drinking of alcohol in regard to bone density loss. Experts believe it’s because these two unhealthy habits interfere with the absorption of calcium into the bones.

Hormones

This is again something that for the most part is out of your control. In women, the absence of their monthly period before menopause, due to low estrogen, contributes to bone density loss. For men, low testosterone causes the same effect. In both genders, too much thyroid hormone can cause low bone density also.

As far as maintaining bone health and reducing the risk of osteoporosis, start as early as you can, but no later than age 19.

Free Report: 11 Foods For Better Bone Health

Better bone health require two key nutrients in the proper quantities – the mineral calcium and vitamin D. Download this free report to discover 11 Foods To Eat For Healthy Bones that can help you reach your daily recommended amounts of calcium and vitamin D.