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Poor bone health and Osteoporosis are not just concerns for the elderly. Most of us think that this is something to worry about later in life. However, we should pay attention to bone health at every stage of life.

We may think of bones as a hard brittle skeleton, but actually our bones are living organs made up of cells and body fluids just like other organs. Bone tissue is constantly being built up and torn down. This process is called remodeling and goes on for our entire life. Between ages 25 and 30, our bones reach their maximum density. Throughout adulthood, this process of building up and tearing down is at a finely tuned balance to maintain bone mass.

We do most of our bone building in adolescence and unfortunately, these are the years that we can develop some bad habits that can endanger our health and our bones, such as not exercising, drinking too much soda and not eating enough dairy and calcium rich foods. In a recent study, published in the Journal of The American Dietetic Association, a 10 year assessment of nutrient intake among 2 to 10 year old American children, 50% of the children studied consumed less than the RDA for calcium. In another recent study, 12% of preschool age children drank an average of 9 ounces of soft drinks or more a day and among all school children surveyed, more than a third of them consumed more than 9 ounces of soda per day. These kids are increasing soda consumption as they grow into adolescence. Almost 25% of adolescents in that survey drank 26 ounces of soft drinks a day. This is very bad news for bone health and not just because the soft drinks are being consumed instead of milk. Soft drinks themselves have a negative impact. Phosphoric acid is used to carbonate beverages and a high phosphorus intake actually leaches calcium from the bones and teeth. So instead of building bone mass during these years, many teens are losing bone mass. We must get out kids to consume at least three servings of calcium rich foods and if possible, eliminate the soda altogether.

As we move into out fifties, sixties and beyond, bone breakdown exceeds formation. Menopause also has an impact on bone loss for women. Estrogen helps protect bones. Therefore, when a woman’s estrogen production drops as perimenopause transitions to menopause, bone loss can be accelerated.

Prevention is definitely the name of the game. Healthy lifestyle choices and key nutrients will ensure our bones have what they need to stay strong. We need to be getting enough calcium. Adults need anywhere from 1000 to 1200mg a day. Post menopausal women should be getting at least 1200mg a day and in some cases, the doctor may recommend 1500 mg a day. Boys and girls ages 9 to 18 and pregnant women need 1300 mg of calcium each and every day. Some foods high in calcium are milk, yogurt, cheese and green vegetables such as broccoli and kale. Soy milk and soy protein that have been fortified with calcium are also great options.

To make sure we are getting enough, it is important to add a calcium supplement. However, not all calcium supplements are created equal, especially where bioavailabilty is concerned. The source of supplemental calcium plus any binding agents used in the tableting process can affect absorption. Also, remember, as we age, the body’s ability to absorb calcium is decreased.

Other key nutrients are needed to strengthen the bone matrix and help with calcium absorption and utilization. Many of the popular bone health products on the market often contain calcium and vitamin D. However, some do not contain the most active form of Vitamin D, known as D3. A calcium supplement with at least 400 to 800 IU of vitamin D per serving and one that provides Vitamin D3, also known cholecalciferol, is best. In addition, most of these products do not have the other nutrients that are necessary for a strong bone matrix. Think of the analogy of bricks and mortar. The bricks are the calcium, but calcium alone is not the answer. What good are the bricks without the mortar, which includes the other key nutrients such as Vitamin D, magnesium, vitamin K, boron, zinc, manganese and copper. Vitamin D is made by the skin while in the sun, but most people do not get enough from the sun. We cannot recommend the sun without sunscreen, which blocks the skin’s ability to make Vitamin D. Magnesium contributes to bone strength by influencing how calcium and phosphorus come together to form strong bones. Vitamin K helps make the protein that attracts calcium to the bone matrix. Boron helps aid bone metabolism. The micronutrients zinc, manganese and copper together act as enzyme cofactors to help speed up metabolic reactions that create collagen, the protein component that makes up bones, teeth and skin.

Diets rich in soy may also offer bone protection. The isoflavones in soy may be responsible for this effect. In fact, several studies have demonstrated a lower incidence of osteoporosis among Asian populations that consume more soy in their diets than compared to Western populations. Also, studies of post menopausal women have shown increased bone density with diets that are rich in soy protein and low in fat. We are talking about 30 to 50 mg of soy isoflavones per day.

In addition, exercise through midlife and into our senior years is very important to help minimize bone loss. The Surgeon General recommends 30 minutes of exercise per day as well as strength training two to three times per week to support and protect bone mass. Strength training or weight bearing exercise triggers our bones to become stronger. Types of weight bearing activities include weight lifting, walking, running, climbing stairs and dancing.

Now is the time to begin strengthening and protecting our bones so they will keep us healthy and moving for a very long time.