Can You Strengthen Bones With Osteoporosis?
If you have osteoporosis you may be rightfully worried about losing bone density. After all, decreased bone density can increase your risk of breaking bones if you happen to have a fall. Fortunately though, there are natural ways to strengthen your bones.
Watch the the video below to learn exercise, diet, and supplement tips to strengthen bones with osteoporosis.
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Exercise Tips for Stronger Bones
If you have osteoporosis or osteopenia—or want to prevent bone loss—weight-bearing exercise is key. Walking, hiking, and stair climbing help stimulate new bone growth. Biking and swimming improve heart health but don’t help as much with bones.
Strength training is also essential. For the lower body, squats, lunges, and step-ups work well. For the upper body, do wall push-ups or lift moderately heavy weights. Aim for weights you can lift 8–12 times before tiring.
Posture and Balance Exercises
Osteoporosis increases the risk of spinal compression fractures. To protect your spine, practice posture exercises like wall angels and thoracic extension. These encourage upright posture and reduce rounding of the upper back.
Balance training is also important to prevent falls. Try standing on one leg for 10 seconds without holding on. If you can’t do that yet, start by holding on and slowly progress.
Diet Tips to Strengthen Bones with Osteoporosis
Exercise alone isn’t enough—you also need to feed your bones. Calcium is the most essential mineral for bone strength. Women over 50 should get at least 1,200 mg per day; men over 50 need at least 1,000 mg, increasing to 1,200 mg after age 70.
Dairy foods like milk, yogurt, and cheese are excellent sources. Non-dairy options include almonds, tofu, and canned sardines with bones. If needed, supplement with calcium (preferably citrate), but avoid taking more than 500–600 mg at once.
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Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Aim for 800–2,000 IU per day. Your body can also make vitamin D from sun exposure—10 to 30 minutes on bare skin at least 3 times per week. Dietary sources include fatty fish and egg yolks. If you supplement, use vitamin D3.
Protein is also critical. Older adults should aim for 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight daily. Good sources include meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy. Contrary to myth, high-protein diets don’t weaken bones if you get enough calcium.
Magnesium supports calcium absorption. You need 320–420 mg per day. Get it from foods like almonds, pumpkin seeds, spinach, and black beans. For supplements, choose magnesium citrate or glycinate for better absorption.
Vitamin K helps bind calcium to bones. Leafy greens like spinach and kale are great sources. Fermented foods like kimchi and sauerkraut also help. If you take blood thinners like warfarin, consult your doctor before increasing vitamin K intake.
Foods and Habits to Avoid
Some things can hurt bone health. Soda contains phosphoric acid, which can weaken bones. Limit alcohol to one drink a day for women or two for men. High-sodium processed foods can increase calcium loss in urine.
Too much caffeine can also weaken bones. Try to limit coffee to two or three cups per day.
For more information, check out these videos:
Need Help to Strengthen Bones with Osteoporosis?
If you live in the St. Louis area and need help to start an exercise program for better bone, health, tap the button below to request an appointment.