Calcium may be the most critical component of a bone-healthy diet, but vitamin D, potassium, magnesium, and other nutrients play indispensable roles as well. So while you may think downing dairy is the only way to boost your bones, surprisingly, fruits and vegetables may be just as important because they supply so many other necessary nutrients. Studies show that eating more fruits and vegetables as part of a healthy eating plan, as in the Mediterranean and Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diets, can benefit your bones. A 2003 study in the Journal of Nutrition, for example, found that following the DASH diet for thirty days significantly reduced markers of bone turnover, which translates to less bone loss and lowered fracture risk. Add these bone builders to your diet to protect your frame as you get older.
The USDA’s 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that adults get three servings of dairy or calcium-rich foods every day. Fortified foods like cereal, orange juice, soy milk, and tofu are also good sources. Adults up to age fifty need 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day, while after fifty you should aim for 1,200 milligrams per day. If you have osteopenia, your doctor may recommend getting as much as 1,500 milligrams from food and supplements combined. It’s best to get your nutrients from food, but supplements can help make up the difference. Look for products marked “calcium carbonate” or “calcium citrate”; studies are mixed over which is absorbed better, but your doctor can help you decide which to take. Take no more than 500 to 600 milligrams at one time, and if you use iron supplements, don’t take them with calcium, since calcium blocks iron absorption.
Vitamin D optimizes calcium absorption. Your body can make it when you expose your skin to sunlight, but for dark-skinned people or those in colder climates or heavily polluted areas who can’t get outside every day, it’s more practical to get the recommended amount through diet and supplements. U.S. dietary recommendations are 400 IU per day for adults age fifty to seventy, and 600 IU per day for those over age seventy. Fortified milk is the most common source of dietary vitamin D, but since manufacturers don’t use fortified milk to make many other dairy products (such as cheese, ice cream, and most yogurts), those foods are not good sources. Check the nutrition facts label to verify the vitamin D content.
Potassium helps your bones conserve calcium, possibly by preserving the body’s acid/alkaline balance. A 2009 study in the journal Osteoporosis International found that postmenopausal women who consumed the most potassium-rich foods had about 5 percent higher bone mineral density than those who consumed the least. Fruits and vegetables provide plenty of potassium, which researchers believe may be one of the main factors behind produce’s bone benefits.
Magnesium increases calcium absorption and influences growth of crystals of hydroxyapatite, the mineral compound found in bone. Population studies have linked low magnesium intake to osteoporosis, and many people don’t get enough. Find it in green leafy vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and dairy products.
“Vitamin C is essential for collagen formation and normal bone development,” wrote Tufts University researchers in a 2008 study in the Journal of Nutrition. (Bones are one-third collagen, which gives them their flexibility.) They found that higher vitamin C intake protected against bone loss in older men, even if they had less-than-optimal calcium consumption. In a later study, the same researchers found that late-life men and women who consumed the most vitamin C (from food and supplements) significantly reduced their risk of fracture. Fruits and vegetables are your best sources for C and other antioxidants, including carotenoids such as beta-carotene and lycopene that protect against bone loss.
Research shows that vitamin K2 increases bone density and reduces fracture risk. Dark leafy greens, cruciferous vegetables, onions, and parsley contain vitamin K1, which your body can partly convert into beneficial K2 through digestion. Egg yolks, fermented dairy (such as cheese and yogurt), and fermented soy (such as miso and tempeh) are some of the few food sources of vitamin K2. Besides eating foods rich in K1 and K2, people with osteoporosis or osteopenia may want to supplement with 50 to 100 micrograms of K2 daily, and people with normal bone density may want to take 25 micrograms of K2. If you take anticoagulant drugs, check with your doctor before increasing vitamin K intake.