Keeping Bones Strong
- Julie Hill
- Oct 4, 2024
- 3 min read
Updated: 7 days ago
Strong bones play a vital role in allowing us to stand tall and move independently, particularly as we enter our later years. It is only when we develop osteoporosis and experience bone fractures, do we realise how important strong bones are. However, maintaining bone strength is something that we can take into consideration well before old age.
We’ve all heard that calcium helps build strong bones and teeth, but how much do we need and how can vitamin D and exercise help?
Calcium salts are the main mineral keeping bones strong, with bones acting like the 'calcium bank' with almost 99% of the body’s calcium found there. Bones release calcium into the blood to be used by other body cells, like muscles or nerves. To keep the calcium bank replenished we need to eat food rich in this important mineral, with some of the best foods being milk, yoghurt and cheese. The recommended amount is 1000 mg of calcium per day for adults aged 19-50 years.
So how much would you need to eat to reach this calcium target?
Below are examples of high calcium foods, with the aim to have 3 servings per day.
Dairy Foods – each example is one serve, providing around 300 -400 mg of calcium.
Other Calcium Containing Foods - providing around 300 - 400 mg calcium per serving
How does Vitamin D help?
Vitamin D is known as the ‘Sunshine Vitamin’ as when we expose our skin to sunlight this converts a precursor to vitamin D3 which then undergoes two more changes, one in the liver and a second in the kidneys to its active form Calcitriol. The active form is responsible for helping the body absorb calcium from food in our digestive system and lock it into our bones, as well as many other roles such as maintaining our immune system and muscle contractions.
In most cases being outdoors for 5 minutes in Summer and 15 minutes in Winter with areas such as our face, hands and arms exposed to the sun will meet our vitamin D needs. Some people with darker skin tones may need more time. For those who spend most of their time indoors, they can become deficient and may need to take vitamin D supplements or choose foods rich in vitamin D to keep their levels up. Food sources for vitamin D include eggs, oily fish such as salmon and herring, and mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light/sunlight with gills (underside) facing up.
What does Exercise do?
Specific weight bearing, resistance and balance exercises help to add load to the bones. Load bearing exercise helps to stimulate bone development and maintain bone density and strength. There are evidence-based exercise programs which can be completed under the supervision of an Exercise Physiologist. Programs such as Strong Bones offered by the Vario Health Clinic at Edith Cowan University (Joondalup, Western Australia) can assist clients to improve their bone density and muscle strength to prevent falls and fractures in individuals with osteoporosis.
Useful Websites for More Information
For more information on how to keep your bones strong visit the Healthy Bones Australia Website: https://healthybonesaustralia.org.au/
Vario Health Clinic (Edith Cowan University, Joondalup Campus)
Nutrient Reference Values for Calcium and Vitamin D:
Healthy Bones Australia Sunshine Map for Vitamin D:
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