Beyond Calcium: What You Need for Strong and Healthy Bones

Did you know that your bones are living and active tissue? During the early stages of life, usually through early adulthood, our bones grow in length and thickness. But as we get older, we experience bone loss. Both my mom and my mother-in-law take calcium supplements due to the fact that bone loss can be particularly acute for older women, which can lead to osteoporosis. By the way, men get osteoporosis too. During the time that my wife was pregnant, she was advised to take calcium supplements by our doctor.

But is taking calcium supplements enough to keep bones healthy? Everyone knows that calcium is the essential building block for bones, but there are many other nutrients that play a role in keeping our bones healthy.

Your body cannot absorb the calcium it needs without vitamin D. And if you can't absorb the calcium you take in, it does you no good. You can get vitamin D by exposing your skin to sunlight or of course by drinking milk fortified with it.

Phosphorus is a mineral that is a key component in bone formation. You can usually get plenty of phosphorus through your diet.

Vitamin C helps to produce collagen, which is the tissue that connects bones together. Vegetables and fruits, particularly citrus fruits, are obvious sources of vitamin C.

Vitamin K helps in maintaining bone strength. Leafy greens and broccoli contain vitamin K. Interestingly, vitamin K is also produced by your intestinal bacteria.

Magnesium helps in the formation of bone. Green vegetables and nuts contain magnesium.

Potassium can reduce calcium loss. Fruits and vegetables are important sources of potassium.

Zinc and copper both promote strong bones. You can get zinc by eating seafood and meat. Copper is found in beans, nuts, and even chocolate.

We all know that fluoride can help prevent tooth decay, but it also plays a part in increasing bone density. Most of the water supply (drinking water through the tap) in the United States is fluoridated.

Iron is another nutrient needed for bone formation as well as collagen formation. Eat meat, poultry, and fish to get iron.

You can probably get the nutrients you need for strong and healthy bones just by managing your diet. However, as we get older it's probably not a bad idea to start supplementing our diet. Also remember that getting all these nutrients is still not enough. You need exercise as well. Daily walking or running will help to keep bones healthy. And any type of strength training will also help keep your bones strong too.