Nutrition over a lifespan plays a key role in building and maintaining strong bones.
“It’s very important, because if you don’t have certain adequate nutrients, you are going to lose bone, which sets you up for having fractures,” says Joan Lappe, PhD, RN, a professor at the Creighton University Osteoporosis Research Center in Omaha, Nebraska.
Both Planells and Dr. Lappe recommend trying to meet your nutrient needs through diet, adding supplements only if necessary and under the guidance of your doctor.
Although it’s well established that calcium and vitamin D are important for bone health, the effectiveness of taking supplements of these nutrients to prevent fractures is controversial. A 2018 report conducted by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force concluded there wasn’t enough evidence to recommend calcium and vitamin D supplements for fracture prevention in healthy adults. (This doesn’t apply to people diagnosed with osteoporosis or a vitamin D deficiency.) Calcium and vitamin D supplements can also increase the risk of kidney stones, the report says, so it’s best to discuss your individual risks and benefits with your healthcare provider. The Task Force is in the process of reviewing these findings for potential updates, but it appears as though the recommendations will remain the same.
On the other hand, getting these nutrients from foods means you’re getting a package deal with each food’s other vitamins and minerals, which may also be beneficial for bone health. And emerging research is finding that your overall dietary pattern may be important.
For example, one study concluded that better bone health is associated with eating more fish, fruit, legumes, low-fat dairy products, nuts, poultry, vegetables, and whole grains.
Beyond filling your plate with a variety of foods, it’s worth ensuring that you eat good sources of the most important nutrients for bones: calcium, vitamin D, protein, and flavonols.
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