Things You Didn’t Know About Your Bones

Causes of Bone Weakness:

In children: Most of the body’s bone mass is attained during childhood and adolescence. During this time, our bones are sculpted in a process called modelling. Old bone is broken down as new bone forms, growing in size and shifting in placement. Nutrition is vital during the stage of bone mass development. Most of the calcium in our body can be found within the skeletal system, but if our calcium intake is insufficient, our body will steal what calcium reserves we have, to be used elsewhere. This can affect overall bone density, making bones weaker and more at risk of breaking. Vitamin D is also really important, as a deficiency could result in rickets, distorting the bones and often resulting in bowed legs.



In women: By age 20, the average woman will have acquired 90% of her skeletal mass. The hormone, oestrogen protects against bone loss, ensuring that new bone is formed at a similar rate as old bone is broken down. Unfortunately, later in life when menopause takes place, oestrogen levels drop and bone loss is accelerated, affecting the density and strength of the skeleton. As a result, women aged over 50 have a higher risk of osteoporosis.



In men: Likewise in men, testosterone helps to prevent bone loss, so as testosterone levels drop with age, bone density can too. Mens’ risk of osteoporosis is increased from age 70 onwards.

How You Can Keep Your Bones Strong?

Diet: Calcium is everything when it comes to bone health; what most people don’t know is that there is a three-step process to ensure your body gets the most of this essential nutrient.

1. Find a good source of calcium in the first place:
   New Zealand dairy (milk, yoghurt, cheese) is a great source of calcium, as is broccoli, green leafy vegetables, almonds and some fruits such as dried figs. Adding a supplement into your diet can also help if you’re struggling to hit your daily calcium quota. Good Health Hi Cal and Supercal both promote optimum calcium levels.
2. Make sure you’re getting the necessary vitamins to absorb calcium:
   Without vitamin D, magnesium, boron, vitamin k, manganese and zinc your body can’t absorb calcium as well.
3. Build up your collagen:
   Collagen is what holds the calcium in your bones and vitamin C helps to promote the formation of collagen. Incorporate lots of fresh fruit and vegetables into your diet to ensure you’re getting a good dose of vitamin C.

Exercise: Just as muscles respond well to exercise, so do bones. Weight bearing exercise such as walking, jogging and resistance training is best for making bones stronger (denser) and building muscle mass, which is necessary to support the structure of bones.



We can’t prevent ageing, but we can slow down its affects on our bodies. With the right diet and exercise in place, you can lower your risk of osteoporosis.