BONE HEALTH
- Tracey Mahaney
- Jun 21
- 4 min read
BONE HEALTH
Bone is a living, dynamic tissue. Unlike the white plastic skeleton that most of us remember from high school biology, living bones are pink, rich with blood vessels, and closely connected to other organs and systems in the body, such as the immune system. They're also a vibrant ecosystem of cellular turnover in which old bone is constantly being broken down and replaced by new bone.
This process is regulated by a wide range of factors, such as:
Nutrition (e.g., energy / calories, protein, mineral intake)
Exercise (e.g., A type of bone cell called an osteocyte can sense stress on the bone - like that from the impact from a jump - and cue the bone remodeling process)
Sleep and circadian rhythms
Mineral-regulating hormones
Cell signaling molecules
Sex hormones (e.g., Hormones like estrogens increase calcium absorption in the intestines and reabsorption in the kidneys, but also protect bones from breakdown)
When bone breakdown and reabsorption happen faster than new bone formation (which is a common concern of aging, especially as women lose the protection of sex hormones), bones lose their density.
Here we'll focus on the nutritional factors that play a role in keeping bones strong, springy, and dense. Later, you’ll learn about additional factors that play into bone health, such as weight-bearing exercise.
KEY NUTRITION SKILLS
While calcium is a significant component of bone, and calcium intake is important, bone health is more than just calcium intake. Rather, many nutrients and nutrition behaviors work together to build and maintain resilient bones.
Key nutrition skills for bone health include:
Eating enough energy (calories)
Eating enough protein
Eating a wide range of nutrient-dense, vitamin- and mineral-rich foods
Eating plenty of fruits and vegetables
Getting enough vitamin D
Eating enough fiber
Consuming healthy fats
Keeping simple sugar intake low
Here's how each plays a role in bone health.
EATING ENOUGH ENERGY
As dynamic structures, bones respond to how much energy (i.e., calories) is available. Restrictive dieting weakens bones and changes the composition of bone marrow so that it's fattier. Eating enough energy helps give bones the signal to stay strong and keeps bone marrow healthy.
EATING ENOUGH PROTEIN
Bones are made up of both minerals and proteins - indeed, proteins make up a significant proportion of bone volume and weight. Eating enough protein is closely linked to maintaining bone health and density. (It's a myth that a high-protein diet harms bones. Quite the opposite!)
EATING A WIDE RANGE OF NUTRIENT-DENSE, VITAMIN- AND MINERAL-RICH FOODS
Calcium is a key mineral that makes up bone, so it's important to eat plenty from foods like:
Dairy products (e.g., milk, yogurt)
Leafy greens (e.g., kale)
Tofu
Calcium-fortified foods
Bone broth (soup stock made from simmering bones for several hours to extract their proteins and minerals)
Along with calcium, the mineral component of bone includes phosphorous, bicarbonate, sodium, potassium, citrate, magnesium, carbonate, fluoride, zinc, barium, and strontium. Other minerals, such as boron, selenium, and manganese, help regulate bone turnover. Silicon helps link collagen-rich bone proteins together. Iron and copper may also play a role in bone health.
We can get enough of these minerals by eating more nutrient-dense foods. some clients might choose to supplement vitamins and minerals - such as calcium and magnesium - under the supervision of their healthcare provider after lab tests confirm the need for them.
EATING PLENTY OF FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
...particularly colorful ones. Vitamin A (particularly in plant-based carotenoid form), C, E, and K - of which fruits and vegetables are good sources - all play key roles in bone metabolism. fruits and vegetables in general may also help lower oxidative stress, another factor in bone mineral loss.
GETTING ENOUGH VITAMIN D
Vitamin D helps maintain levels of calcium and phosphate, and we need it to develop and maintain healthy bones. Along with sunlight, there are a few dietary sources: oily fish (e.g., salmon, mackerel), cod liver oil, egg yolk, vitamin-D-fortified foods, and mushrooms (but just like humans, mushrooms need to be exposed to direct sunlight to develop vitamin D in their tissues).
EATING ENOUGH FIBER
Bone mineral density seems to be improved by short-chain fatty acids, which our gut bacteria produce when they break down the fiber we eat. Gut bacteria may also promote bone density by affecting the immune system, cell signaling molecules involved in growth, and the gut's production of serotonin, which may play a role in regulating bone mass.
CONSUMING HEALTHY FATS
...particularly omega-3s and olive oil. researchers speculate that the anti-inflammatory effects of omega-3 fatty acids and polyphenol-rich extra-virgin olive oil are what contribute to bone health.
KEEPING SIMPLE SUGAR INTAKE LOW
A high-sugar diet is linked to low bone density, and Type 2 diabetes actively damages bone tissue and is associated with an increased risk of bone fracture.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
Notice how many of these key nutrition behaviors overlap with the foundational nutrition skills previously discussed?
As you can see, the basics are bone-friendly!
Check out the Heathy Eating Cheat Sheet in the Resources (below) to learn what foods to incorporate and how to get enough variety.
Try a few days of food journaling using an app that calculates vitamin and mineral intake. This can help you see where you may need to make some changes, such as adding more calcium-rich foods.
Don't supplement randomly. Nutritional deficiencies and appropriate supplementation (such as vitamin D) require lab tests to assess and should be done under the supervision of a healthcare provider.
Ensure an adequate energy intake and avoid chronic restrictive dieting. This is one area where having a slightly higher body mass index (BMI) can be helpful.
LINKS & RESOURCES
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