Bone Health – Vitamins and Nutrients That Can Help
When it comes to bone health, there are certain vitamins and nutrients that can help you. These include vitamin D, calcium, and an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. You can also do certain exercises that will help you keep your bones strong.
Calcium
Calcium is a mineral that your body needs to keep bones strong and healthy. It also helps your body clot and regulate heart rhythm.
However, it’s important to know that a calcium deficiency can lead to osteoporosis, a disease of the bone. While some calcium supplements can be useful, you should always get your calcium from your diet.
The amount of calcium you need to consume depends on your age and gender. Adult men need about 120 micrograms per day while adult women need about 90 micrograms.
To help get enough calcium into your body, it’s recommended you eat foods rich in vitamin C and Vitamin D. You can find vitamin C in oranges, strawberries, sweet yellow pepper, and tomatoes.
Vitamin D is found in oily fish and fortified dairy products. If you don’t eat these foods, or don’t have the recommended amounts of Vitamin D, you can supplement with vitamin D.
One of the most common sources of calcium is dairy. Dairy products are high in vitamin B12, which may help prevent osteoporosis. Those who are lactose intolerant or vegan may not get enough calcium.
Calcium is also found in other forms, including hydroxyapatite. Hydroxyapatite is a crystal of calcium and phosphorus.
The body does not produce calcium, so it is important to consume it. There are several ways to ensure you get enough, including a balanced diet, weight bearing exercises, and calcium-fortified foods.
Taking a daily supplement of 500-600 mg is a good way to get your calcium. Calcium supplements can be taken orally, as effervescent tablets, or as soluble powder.
For the best possible results, it’s important to read the label of your supplement and choose a brand name product. Also, take calcium with food, not on an empty stomach.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D plays an important role in the health and function of bones. It regulates the movement of calcium within the bones, maximizing the body’s ability to absorb the mineral. A lack of vitamin D leads to rickets, a condition in which a child’s bones become soft and weak.
In addition, vitamin D has also been shown to help enhance the immune system and improve muscle function. These benefits may be attributed to the vitamin’s ability to modulate pro-inflammatory cytokines, which play an important role in bone metabolism.
Despite the numerous advantages of vitamin D, it remains unclear how to achieve optimal levels. However, most studies recommend taking 800 IU a day, or about 5 mcg, of the nutrient.
Although many studies have shown positive effects of vitamin D on bone health, a large randomized controlled trial found that supplementation with the vitamin did not reduce the risk of osteoporotic fractures. LeBoff, a professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of the Brigham and Women’s Endocrinology Division, said, “We should be very cautious of any claims that vitamin D can prevent bone loss.”
While it has been shown that taking a vitamin D supplement can decrease the risk of fractures, more studies are needed to determine its actual effectiveness. Several drugs are available to treat bone weaknesses, but if you want to avoid osteoporosis, you should take steps to improve your bone health.
In addition, combining vitamin D and calcium may also reduce the risk of vertebral and non-vertebral fractures. Calcium, the most abundant mineral in the body, supports the structure and health of bones. Deficiency of the nutrient has been linked to increased fracture risks, particularly in women.
Omega-6 to omega-3 ratio
The omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is one of the most important dietary factors that affect our health. A high ratio is associated with an increased prevalence of inflammatory diseases. It is also associated with obesity, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.
Omega-6 fats are found in vegetable oils, dairy products, and meat. They can help to maintain a healthy reproductive system, blood sugar levels, and hair and skin synthesis. However, they are considered pro-inflammatory.
The pre-industrial diet was relatively low in omega-6 fatty acids, and the ratio was between 4:1 and 1:4. In westernized diets, the ratio is approximately 20:1. Changing the ratio to an optimal balance may reduce inflammation and protect the heart.
Research suggests that the fatty acid profile of modern Western diets is a mixture of too many omega-6s and too few omega-3s. Excessive omega-6 PUFAs contribute to an increase in chronic inflammation and the onset of several diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammatory bowel disease.
To get the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 in balance, eat more omega-3 foods and decrease your consumption of omega-6s. Some of the best sources of omega-3s include fatty fish, walnuts, flax seeds, and chi seeds. Fish oil supplements are a good source of omega-3s, but be sure to consult a doctor before taking them.
Another way to improve the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio is by changing the cooking oil used. Adding avocado oil or black currant oil to a high heat cooking pot can help. If you don’t like eating fish, you can use a high quality soybean or sunflower oil.
An optimal omega-6 to omega-3 ratio should be between 2:1 and 4:1. Although the average American diet provides plenty of omega-6s, you can reduce your intake by changing your cooking oils or eating more omega-3-rich foods.
Exercises that improve bone health
Exercise is one of the best ways to maintain healthy bones. Whether you’re a young athlete or an old person, exercise can help you achieve and maintain strong bones.
The key to exercise for bone health is to make sure that you do it consistently. Regular exercise can reduce the risk of bone fractures, and can also strengthen muscles and improve your overall health.
Research has shown that high impact exercises like running and dancing can build stronger bones. However, there are also lower impact activities that have been found to be effective.
For example, playing tennis or lifting weights is a form of resistance exercise. Resistance exercises use muscles to pull harder on the bones.
Some of the most popular forms of weight bearing exercise include jogging, climbing stairs, walking, and playing basketball. Although these activities are effective, they require you to move against the effects of gravity, which is not helpful to your bones.
Another way to keep your bones strong is to do strength training. Strength training involves weights, dumbbells, and other items that force you to perform specific movements.
These movements increase the force of gravity on your bones and stimulate them to become stronger. This is especially important for people who have osteoporosis or low bone density.
Other activities are high impact, such as hiking, skiing, or stair climbing. They produce more force on the bones than less impactful activities, such as swimming.
While any type of exercise can help to maintain healthy bones, strength training is particularly beneficial. It can strengthen all major muscle groups, and can help to build stronger and stronger bones.
There are also a variety of activities that you can do in your own home that are designed to strengthen your bones. You can try a home fitness program such as Zumba, which can be a fun way to get started exercising.