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 Osteoporosis is largely preventable for most people. Building strong bones, especially before age 30, can be the best defense against developing osteoporosis. A healthy lifestyle can be critically important for keeping your bones strong. Preventing osteoporosis is key—while there are treatments for osteoporosis, there is currently no cure. Here’s how you can play an active role in preventing osteoporosis.
Got Calcium and Vitamin D?
Eat a balanced diet rich in calcium and vitamin D. Calcium plays an important role in maintaining bone. Calcium alone cannot prevent osteoporosis, but it is an important part of an overall prevention or treatment program.
National surveys have shown that many Americans are not consuming enough calcium. Many women, in fact, consume less than half of the daily recommended amount of calcium. Getting enough calcium is essential to maintaining bone strength and can play a vital role in
preventing osteoporosis-related fractures. You can get calcium from vitamin supplements and through foods like low-fat cheese, yogurt, green leafy vegetables, and
calcium-fortified foods. Your health care provider or dietitian can tell you how to get the proper amount of calcium in your diet.
Vitamin D plays a major role in calcium absorption and bone health. Vitamin D comes from two sources: through the skin following direct exposure to sunlight and from your diet. Experts recommend a daily intake between 400 and 800 mg a day. You can also get vitamin D from fortified dairy products, egg yolks, saltwater fish, and liver.
Grin and Bear It for Strong Bones
Doing weight-bearing and resistance exercises is
another part of preventing osteoporosis. Weight-bearing exercises are those in which your bones and muscles work against gravity. Jogging, walking, stair climbing, dancing, and soccer are examples of weight-bearing exercise because your feet and legs bear your weight. Swimming and bicycling are not weight-bearing
exercises.
Resistance exercises are activities that use muscular strength to improve muscle mass and strengthen bones. These activities include using free-weights and weight machines.
Before beginning any exercise program, you should consult your health care provider.
The Bone-Mineral-Density Test
Your health care provider may recommend bone-mineral-density testing and medications to prevent osteoporosis. A bone-mineral-density test measures the density of your bones (bone mass). Your health care provider may need to know your bone mass to determine whether you need medication to help maintain your bone mass, prevent further bone loss, and reduce your risk for osteoporosis.
The Risk Factors You Can’t Change
There are many factors that determine who will develop osteoporosis. Here are a few risk factors you
cannot change:
Age. The older you are, the greater your risk for osteoporosis. Your bones become weaker and less dense as
you age.
Gender. Your chance of developing osteoporosis is greater if you are a woman. Women have less bone tissue and lose bone more rapidly than men.
Recommended Amount of Calcium
(mg/day based on the National Academy of Sciences)
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Age | Birth to 6 months | 210 |
| 6 months to 1 year | 270 |
| 1 to 3 years | 500 |
| 4 to 8 | 800 |
| 9 to 13 | 1,300 |
| 14 to 18 | 1,300 |
| 19 to 30 | 1,000 |
| 31 to 50 | 1,000 |
| 51 to 70 | 1,200 |
| 70 and older | 1,200 |
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