Three Top Tips For Increasing Bone Density Naturally

When it comes to maintaining/increasing bone density to prevent or slow the progression of osteoporosis, traditionally, calcium supplementation has been the star of the show. But the reality is, calcium supplementation in and of itself really doesn’t do that much to help bone density, unless you’re actually deficient in your calcium intake (or have some other health issue that increased your need for calcium).

Generally, 1000 to 1200 mg per day is the recommended intake of calcium for adults and this amount can be obtained just from foods, such as dairy products, leafy green vegetables, and calcium-fortified orange juice. Just one cup of milk by itself will get you about a quarter of the way to the recommended daily intake.

More important than calcium intake is the things you can do to get the calcium into your bones.

The first and foremost way of doing that is by regularly engaging in some sort of resistance exercise. Weight-bearing exercise is good too, but adding resistance, particularly to exercises that put stress on the bones of the hips and spine, is one of the best ways to improve bone density. And while resistance training when you’re young helps you build your bone “bank account,” it’s possible to get the bone-building benefits of it at any age.

If you already have advanced osteoporosis, it’s important to consult with your doctor to determine what exercises are safe for you to do. And for anyone new to resistance training, I suggest working with a personal trainer or physical therapist for a few sessions to learn how to do the exercises properly to avoid injury.

As mentioned previously, exercises that place load on the hips and spine are particularly useful for building bone density. These would include exercises like squats, lunges, and leg press. Carrying hand weights, using a weight vest, or wearing a rucking pack (basically, a weighted backpack) when walking would also be a good way to incorporate some resistance training for your bones. You can also use just body weight exercises at first and resistance can be provided by free weights, machines, or some type of elastic exercise bands.

With any new resistance training regimen, start slowly and with low resistance, slowly increasing resistance and/or repetitions of a given exercise over a period of weeks.

The next tip is to be sure to get adequate vitamin D3. Sun exposure is of course one way to improve your vitamin D levels, but supplementation may be a simpler way to be sure you’re getting enough, particularly if you live in a climate where exposure to sunlight may be difficult to come by. Study results on vitamin D supplementation for bone density are mixed, but the benefits are most clear when the individual was over the age of 65 and, perhaps most importantly, was actually deficient in Vitamin D. Taking more vitamin D than you need is not beneficial – at least with regards to bone density, and really high doses can actually cause problems. For overall healthy adults, the suggested dosage for supplementation is 400-800 IU per day, and perhaps a little more if you already have significant bone loss.

The last tip is something that’s only recently come to the attention of researchers, and that’s supplementing with collagen peptides. Collagen is a type of protein and while you can get it through the diet, it’s a bit of a challenge because of the way we’ve become accustomed to cutting meat. Collagen is found in the “tough bits” – the stuff that’s generally cut away from most meat before sale in the stors. Ground meats, particularly beef and pork, usually still have some of the more collagen-rich cuts of meat incorporated into them, and they are a reasonably good source of collagen peptides. That said, for consistent intake, using a supplement is probably more convenient.

Most collagen peptide supplements come in a powdered form that can be mixed with milk, juice, water, or other beverages. It doesn’t have much taste of its own, so a lot of the supplements will be flavored. Different products will have different amounts of additional ingredients, and will tend to dose based on a scoop included with the powder. For the purpose of increasing bone density (collagen has other potential benefits for things like skin, hair, and exercise recovery), a dose of about 5 grams per day is suggested.

For all of these recommendations, there is an additional necessary component – time. The research on these measures was typically done – on a consistent basis - over a period of several months to a year or more, so don’t expect to see significant changes in your bone density test after only a month or two. Be patient and consistent with your regimen and most likely the results will come. The nice thing is, you’ll likely start to look and feel better as you tone up and build muscle – which occurs well before any significant increase in bone density.

Until next time…

George F. Best, D.C.