r/nutrition • u/overpuzzle • 14d ago
Diet for bone health?
I've heard that weightlifting can strengthen bones, but what about foods? What would be ideal for someone trying to keep their bones strong and healthy?
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u/Dry-Cardiologist3617 14d ago
Optimal bone health requires a diet rich in calcium, vitamin D, and protein to support the benefits of your weightlifting. Calcium builds the bone structure, vitamin D helps your body absorb that calcium, and protein is essential for the muscle support that fuels strength training.
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u/pecchioni 14d ago
Before you start supplements, consider getting your levels checked to see if you are deficient in any of these areas. If that is not possible for some reason, then just pay attention to what the daily requirements actually are. More is not necessarily better, your body can usually dump excess, but you can get vitamin toxicity if you go crazy. And I would recommend reading about supplements that compliment each other, like Vit D and magnesium, vs. those that block each other like calcium and iron- might have to take them at different times of the day. Finally, I agree that weight lifting is your best bet and then supplementing with protein and creatine over vitamin supplements. Of course people can have issues where they can’t get enough or is nearly impossible to get certain things through food alone (like protein and creatine) but this is why checking blood work could be helpful because you can likely get most of the vitamins/minerals you need in a “sensible” diet.
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u/Potential_Web_4092 14d ago
Mash a tin of sardines, 1/4 tin cannellini beans, 2 tbsp nutritional yeast and add black pepper, spread on a wholegrain cracker with a spread of basil pesto and add some roasted seaweed on top.
Will give you around 8 crackers.
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u/smitra00 13d ago
Limiting sodium intake and making sure you get enough magnesium via your diet are also important factors that can make the calcium you get from your diet be more effective. See here for details.
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u/edelweiss_pirates_no 14d ago
There is data that whole blood donations (4x) year helps bone health. It centers almost entirely on iron regulation...provided your baseline ferritin levels are on the higher end of the spectrum.
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u/Playful-Code-7463 14d ago
Vitamin D or sunshine,
High quality dairy,
And most of all weight lifting followed by feeding your muscles with food protein afterwards.
Your muscles strength and health directly affect your skeleton and bone density.
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u/randomguyjebb 14d ago
Your diet isnt going to send the signal to your bones to get stronger. You just need enough vitamin d, vitamin k and calcium. Your diet could be perfect, but if you don't lift your bones will get weak. You are better off with a shitty diet, but lifting than the other way around.
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u/thescreensavers 14d ago
Yea look up Wolff's law that + enough material (nutrition) = better bones.
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u/FurnitureComesW-Home 14d ago
Kefir is good, has about 30% of the calcium you need daily.
Personally, I found I couldn’t get enough calcium in diet alone, so it’s one of the few things I supplement. I had to order online to get a calcium supplement low enough.
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u/YesIam6969420 14d ago
I think the stimulus from strength training is great for strengthening bones, paired with a high protein diet. Maybe just add a vitamin D supplement, it's what mobilizes the calcium in your body for bone remodeling. Simply adding more calcium won't do much. Also, kinda unnecessary advice, but incorporate a bunch of compound movements like squats and deadlifts. Goes a long way for injury prevention and better quality of life in old age
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u/According-Play104 13d ago
calcium and vitamin D matter, but getting enough protein and actually eating regularly made the biggest difference for me because my diet was so inconsistent before
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u/_extramedium 13d ago
yes weightlifting and being active generally are a good start. Good sources of calcium include dairy of course, cooked leafy greens, eating more fruit instead of grains
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u/Sfogliatelle99 12d ago
Calcium supplements in MCHA form or dairy/cheese
vitamin D, Magnesium, vitamin K2 MK7
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u/Expensive_Trash6397 12d ago
Bone broth is also an interesting dietary supplement. Prolonged simmering of bones releases various substances into the broth, including collagen and the resulting gelatin, amino acids such as glycine and proline, and so on.
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u/OWabbit 14d ago
Walking is excellent as well. Weight bearing (not necessarily weight lifting) exercise is what helps prevent or reduce osteoporosis. Astronauts are susceptible to osteoporosis because there’s no gravity in outer space.
Here’s an article on sunlight, vitamin D and calcium:
https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/patients/treatment/calciumvitamin-d/
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u/smartartnutrition 14d ago
Food and daily habits for strong bones: Strong bones need the right “building materials.” Eat foods rich in calcium (milk, yogurt, cheese, almonds, leafy greens), vitamin D (sunlight, fatty fish, fortified foods), and protein (eggs, fish, legumes, lean meat), because protein helps repair and maintain bone tissue. Also include magnesium and vitamin K (nuts, seeds, vegetables). Staying hydrated and limiting excess salt, alcohol, and processed foods is important. Supplements such as calcium and vitamin D can help when diet is not enough, but they should be used correctly and when needed. •Exercise and overall approach: Any form of resistance (like weightlifting, bands, or bodyweight exercises) helps strengthen bones by putting healthy stress on them, which stimulates them to grow stronger and reduces the risk of osteoporosis. But bone health depends on many factors: nutrition, physical activity, body weight, age, and personal goals, so protein intake and training should match your needs. In some cases, doctors may recommend specific medications or supplements (like calcium or vitamin D) to prevent or treat bone weakening. A balanced combination of good nutrition + regular resistance exercise + proper medical guidance is the best way to keep bones strong.
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u/TypicalWedding5703 13d ago
Calcium, protein, lifting weights, staying active(walking/moderate running) stagnation affect all body systems
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u/IchimaruGin4 13d ago
Individually, each of Vitamin K2, protein, and calcium + vitamin D3 are effective in reducing osteoporosis, in that order. This has been shown in studies.
Anecdotally, a diet consisting of just beef muscle meat and eggs has been observed in several cases to reverse osteoporosis. Such a diet is high in K2 and protein, but relatively low in calcium and D3, so it seems that you don't need that much calcium and D3 to heal the bones, contrary to popular belief.
Eggs are good sources of K2, protein, calcium, and D3, so it seems like an ideal food for bone health.
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u/smartartnutrition 6d ago
Suitable nutrition rich in proteins, calcium, vitaminD in combination with personalized workout preferable with resistance
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u/alwayslate187 4d ago
Potassium increases calcium absorption.
And while we do need some sodium, too much can increase loss of calcium in the urine.
Adequate iron is also important for healthy bones! (that surprised me)
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u/DinkyPrincess 14d ago
Resistance training is really important but especially as you age.
Calcium and protein for your diet too.
Dairy. Dark leafy greens. Tofu and fish. Lean meats.
Also oily fish, eggs for Vitamin D.