Bone Builders for Women 50 Plus: Guarding Your Powerful Skeleton

You may frequently hear you should exercise for better health and struggle to find time to work it in, but do you think about your bone health? When you are busy keeping up with many things in your day-to-day routine, you probably aren’t thinking about your bones. Being in tune with critical issues and using bone builders can help you guard these powerful players.

Our skeletal system is our framework held together by our muscles, tendons, and connective tissue. A domino effect can occur if one isn’t strong enough to support us.

Your bone health

The health of your bones is about keeping them strong and preventing bone diseases. Think of a strong skeleton in your corner, supporting you. Bone health is impacted by genetics, your environment, eating pattern, and frequency of activity.

Osteoporosis enters the lives of one in three women based on a European review article. The most diligent defense you have is how you take care of yourself. Only you can be on guard.

Any bone can be fractured, but hips, back, and wrists are noted for women. Their ability to help you can be determined in a bone density test.

What is a bone mineral density test?

A bone mineral density test or bone mass density (BMD) is used to compare the density of your bones to a healthy 30-year-old. The typical test is a dual energy x-ray absorptiometry scan or DXA and is similar to an x-ray and usually taken on the hip and spine.

We don’t receive a bone density test until we are 65. Weakening bones can occur before this time, so if you want to start a new exercise program, check with your doctor if you don’t currently exercise.

 Also, suppose you are post-menopausal and have had a broken bone. In that case, the Bone Health and Osteoporosis Foundation recommends you speak with your health care provider regarding a bone density test if you haven’t had one.

Is there a fracture test?

There is not a fracture test, but rather a Fracture Risk Assessment Tool called FRAX. You will answer a series of questions, and the results show if you fall into a high-risk category. If you don’t have a bone mineral density (BMD) measurement, you can still see if you are at risk.

Kinds of activities that are bone builders

Any movement is good for overall health, but for the strongest bones, you want to create a load on them. Physical activity that applies a force on your bones is most helpful. When exercising, you may want to use a chair or something to hold onto, so you can keep your balance and avoid falls. When using dumbbells or resistance bands, begin with light weights, such as 2 pounds, and increase gradually, as tolerated. The following are examples of load-bearing exercises.

Aerobic exercises

Walking

Water aerobics

Stair climbing

Dancing

Hiking

Resistance exercises

Using your own body weight

Sit to stand

Bird dogs

Leg raises

Push-ups (and modified push-ups)

Using dumbbells

Bent over rows

Triceps extensions

Shoulder press

Squats with weights

Resistance bands

Bicep curls

Shoulder press

Triceps extensions

Can I do any exercise I want if I have osteopenia or osteoporosis?

No! Having a diagnosis of osteopenia or osteoporosis puts you at risk of doing more harm than good. According to the American College of Sports Medicine (2022), you will want to avoid exercises that involve overly twisting, bending, stretching, or explosive, high-impact movements. Your doctor or physical therapist will point out what is best for you to do to keep your skeletal system safe while preserving your bone mass.

Foods that are bone builders

Eating for bone health is not just about calcium intake as frequently thought. It also involves adequate vitamin D and protein. Like all other parts of our bodies, all nutrients are essential because they work together in harmony with a synergistic effect.

Calcium recommendations

The calcium recommendation from the National Institutes of Health is 1000mg for women 19-50, increasing to 1200mg for women 51 and older.

Calcium bone builders

Dairy and fortified non-dairy milk

Tofu that is calcium set

Broccoli, bok choy, mustard greens, turnip greens

Figs, oranges,

Beans, white, red, and pinto

Sardines with the bones.

Vitamin D recommendations

Another necessary ingredient for optimal bone health is vitamin D which aids with calcium absorption. It is a fat-soluble vitamin, and it is stored. The recommended amount of vitamin D is 600 IU for women 50 – 70 years of age and then increases to 800 IU daily. Follow the prescribed dose if your physician has a determined amount of calcium or vitamin D. If you have questions about it, ask your doctor.

Vitamin D bone builders

Sunshine, fortified milk (dairy and frequently non-dairy), fatty fish, egg yolks, and mushrooms treated with UV light

Food is the best place to get bone-building nutrients; however, supplementation may be necessary if you can’t get enough through foods.

Know your lab results of vitamin D

National health organizations vary on what is considered deficient, insufficient, and optimal.

If you have a vitamin D test (25-OH-vitamin D) result that shows you are below the normal range, take a look at the range. A level less than 30ng/ml is considered less than optimal by the Endocrine Society. The National Academy of Medicine (formerly IOM) considers 20ng/ml or higher optimal for bone health.

After reviewing a couple of studies, the data indicate that excessive doses of vitamin D may be detrimental.

 A mega dose of 500,000 IU of vitamin D3 was given once over the autumn to winter seasons for three to five years to women 70 years and older who were at high risk for falls. The results didn’t contribute to optimal health; instead, the rate of falls increased compared to the placebo group.

In another study, the objective was to deduce the effect of vitamin D on functional decline. Instead, the researchers found increased falls with higher monthly doses of vitamin D. Two hundred participants 70 years and older who had a prior fall were in the year-long study. They received one of three doses of the vitamin. The results showed the highest dose improved the lab level of vitamin D, but functioning of the lower limbs was not enhanced, and falls increased.

These studies show that more vitamin D isn’t necessarily good for you.

Protein recommendations

The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for protein, according to the Institute of Medicine (2005), is 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight. The amount is the minimum necessary for good health. A female weighing 150 pounds would mean 150/2.2= 68kg x 0.8=54 grams daily.

More protein may be beneficial for older people as this study determined that older people no longer make muscle as a younger person. A range of 1.0-1.3 grams per kilogram may be a healthier habit. This would translate to a 150-pound woman needing 150     /2.2= 68 kg x 1.3 grams = 89 grams daily.

Evidence from the Canadian Nutrition Society Conference in 2015 demonstrates the need to recommend higher levels of protein intake to obtain more favorable health outcomes for older adults. Increasing protein to 1.2-1.6 grams per kilogram per day was suggested. For a female weighing 150 pounds, the protein intake would be 82-109 grams per day.

Increasing your protein intake may be beneficial if you are more active, but remember to include all food groups. If you expand protein, be sure to decrease a few bites from your other foods to manage your energy intake and weight.

Protein bone builders

Beans, lentils, and peas

Almonds, peanuts, pistachios

Chicken, turkey, beef, and pork

Eggs

Dairy milk, soy milk, pea milk

Whole grains

Veggies

Activities you should stop doing for optimal bone health

Smoking or drinking excessive alcohol can be havoc on your skeleton. Set a goal to stop soon. These are hard habits to change, but they are doable. Be sure to have an accountability partner for your journey.

Bone builders act as armor in protecting your skeleton. Including nourishing foods such as whole grains, beans, lentils, veggies, fruit, nuts, seeds, and dairy and meat if you choose to, along with bone building exercises, furnishes you powerful elements of optimal bone health.