Bone Density: what can you do?

Bone density is one of those silent pillars of health. You rarely think about it.

Until you are forced to.

When you were born, your bones grew rapidly. Soft, cartilaginous structures that slowly hardened to become bone.

Most of your bone mass was built before the age of twenty.

This is your window.

What you eat, how much you move, and the sunlight you absorb all matter. The calcium in your milk. How much time you spend in the sun.

The impact of jumping and running. They all speak to your bones. Peak bone density usually occurs by your early thirties. After that, it’s a slow decline.

So what changes?

Bone is living tissue. It is constantly broken down and rebuilt. As you age, especially after 40 or 50, the breakdown outpaces the rebuilding.

For women, this process speeds up after menopause. You lose estrogen. Estrogen protects bone.

In men, the decline is slower but still real. By the time you are seventy, you can lose 20% or more of your bone mass.

Brittle bones that can break.

Now imagine a simple fall. Something you could have absorbed at 20 becomes a fracture at 70. A broken hip. A spine that compresses. Pain. Immobility.

The hidden cost? Loss of confidence.

So what can you do?

Spend time in the sun. I cant say this enough, especially if you are above the age of fifty. Strength train. Walk, cycle. Bones love stress. The more you stress them, the stronger they will get.

Nutrition matters. Calcium. Vitamin D. Magnesium. Zinc. These are not optional. If your body doesn’t get it from food, it will leach it from your bones.

Avoid smoking. Minimise alcohol. Stay active.

If you are post-menopausal or older, get a DEXA scan. Know your bone mineral density. Don’t wait for the fracture to tell you something is wrong.

Bone health is invisible. Until it’s not.

Take care of your bones. They carry your weight for life.

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