Maintaining Bone Health for Over 65s

Introduction

Our bodies are able to build bone mass up until the age of 30 where we reach peak bone mass. After 30, bone remodelling does continue, but you lose slightly more bone mass than you gain. Over time our bones lose strength and the older we get the harder it becomes to maintain bone strength.

Poor bone health is directly linked to increased risk of fractures suffered from a trip or fall.

To see tips on how to avoid falls see our previous blog post - Handy Steps to Reduce Your Risk of a Fall

Thankfully, we have listed simple & helpful ways in which we can preserve our bone health over 65!

Keep Moving

Inactivity leads to the loss of bone and muscle strength and therefore an increased risk of osteoporosis, a health condition that weakens bones, making them fragile and more likely to break.

It is advised that people over the age of 65 get 2 and a half hours of moderate intensity exercise each week, but you can break this down to 30 minutes a day so it is more achievable.

You should try to incorporate activities to improve muscle strength twice a week, for instance weight lifting using dumbbells or body weight exercises such as squats and Lunges. You don’t have to go to the gym every day, this can be as simple as walking up and down a flight of stairs!

Activities that improve balance are also a good choice of exercise to incorporate in your weekly regime like Yoga and Tai-Chi. Do not to sit for too long, and if you do find that you have been sitting a while, try to have a walk around every half an hour or so.

Calcium and Vitamin D

Calcium keeps our bones and teeth healthy and is the main mineral found in bones.

To support bone health, it’s important to include foods that are high in calcium such as dairy products, and green vegetables in your diet.

If you feel you are not getting enough calcium from your diet, speak to your GP who can advise a supplement that will help meet your daily intake to the recommended dosage amount.

Vitamin D helps our bodies absorb calcium. A lack of vitamin D can lead to bone pain caused by osteomalacia.

Good sources of vitamin D are Salmon, sardines and cod liver oil supplements, as with Calcium it is best to speak to your GP to see if a supplement is required as Vitamin D is not found in many foods.

Sunlight helps your body absorb vitamin D from the foods you consume too, and it is recommended that you get at least 10-30 minutes of sun exposure several days a week to assist the body in processing Vitamin D.

Protein

Protein is beneficial to bone health as it keeps your bones strong, and a lack of protein can lead to a decrease in calcium absorption.

Nutritious foods containing protein are fish and poultry, eggs, beans, nuts and low-fat dairy products.

It is recommended to incorporate 1 to 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight each day, in your diet. Your GP can also help advise an ideal protein intake for your individual needs.

Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

Maintaining a healthy weight can help support bone health. Studies show that a low body weight contributes to the increased risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia.

Being overweight can be harmful to bone health as it causes stress on bones due to the excess weight and can ultimately lead to fractures.

A very low-calorie diet can be detrimental to your health in many ways, muscle mass loss, a decrease in metabolism but can also harm our bone health. Diets consisting of less than 1000 calories a day can result in lower bone density. Therefore, maintaining a healthy weight is valuable when it comes to looking after your bone health.

Smoking and Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol in excess is known to weaken bones by disturbing cells that assist in bone growth, meaning moderation is key if you do choose to drink alcohol.

Smoking intensifies your risk of osteoporosis by decelerating the production of cells that helps your body form bone. If you are a smoker the best thing you can do to protect your bone health is to quit!

Signs of Osteoporosis

• Easily fractured bones
• Loss of height over time
• Stooped/bent forward posture
• Back pain, caused by a collapsed or fractured vertebrae

If you suspect you have osteoporosis speak to your GP, they can also work out your future risk of breaking a bone using an online programme, such as FRAX or Q-Fracture.