Introduction
As we age, our bones become more fragile and prone to injury. This is why it is so important to make sure we are taking the best supplement for strong bones after 50. Dietitians recommend certain supplements that can help keep our bones strong and healthy. Eat This Not That has compiled a list of the #1 best supplement for strong bones after 50, so you can make sure you are taking the right supplement for your age. Read on to find out what the best supplement is and how it can help you maintain strong bones.
#1 Best Supplement for Strong Bones After 50, Says Dietitian — Eat This Not That
As we age, our bones become more fragile and prone to fractures and breaks. To keep our bones strong and healthy, it’s important to get the right nutrients and supplements. According to a dietitian, the best supplement for strong bones after 50 is calcium.
Calcium is an essential mineral for bone health. It helps to build and maintain strong bones and teeth. It also helps to regulate muscle contractions, including those of the heart. Calcium is found in many foods, including dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified foods.
However, as we age, our bodies become less efficient at absorbing calcium from food. That’s why it’s important to supplement with calcium to ensure that we’re getting enough. The recommended daily intake of calcium for adults over 50 is 1,200 milligrams.
When choosing a calcium supplement, look for one that contains vitamin D. Vitamin D helps the body absorb calcium more efficiently. It’s also important to choose a supplement that is free of additives and fillers.
Calcium supplements come in many forms, including tablets, capsules, and powders. Talk to your doctor or dietitian to determine which form is best for you.
In addition to taking a calcium supplement, it’s important to get regular exercise and eat a balanced diet. Eating foods that are rich in calcium, such as dairy products, leafy greens, and fortified foods, can help ensure that you’re getting enough calcium in your diet.
By taking a calcium supplement and eating a balanced diet, you can help keep your bones strong and healthy as you age.
It’s hard to appreciate strong bones until you experience the effect of a broken one. While overall bone growth stops in your twenties, you can count on them staying relatively strong and stable until you reach age 50. After this milestone age, bone loss speeds up and rebuilding slows down, especially once menopause starts for women.
As with most parts of aging, you don’t have to accept weak bones as an inevitable fate—you can do something about it! While exercise and eating well can help, you may want to consider a supplement to keep your bones strong after age 50. A vitamin D supplement can help maximize bone strength and minimize bone loss as you age.
Without enough vitamin D, calcium can’t do its job of maintaining bone mass and strength. Calcium is a mineral necessary for bone growth, but you may not need to supplement calcium if you eat a variety of foods. After age 51, women need 1,200 milligrams of calcium each day, while men need 1,000 milligrams each day. Eating a few servings of dairy, soy, or canned fish along with fortified foods and drinks can help you easily meet your daily calcium needs.
“Vitamin D is required to absorb calcium, a key component of strong bones. As we age, our vitamin D levels tend to decrease, often due to decreased sun exposure,” says Amanda Lane, MS, RD, CDCES, founder of Healthful Lane Nutrition, LLC. Adults 51 to 70 years old need at least 15 micrograms of vitamin D daily.
Why you may need to supplement your diet with vitamin D
Vitamin D is harder to find in foods. The only foods that naturally contain vitamin D are fish, beef liver, egg yolks, and mushrooms that have been exposed to UV light. Dairy products and other drinks can be fortified with vitamin D.
While your body can make its own vitamin D through sun exposure, the process becomes less effective with age. Having dark skin, spending time indoors, and living in a northern latitude also increases the risk of vitamin D deficiency.
A European study with over 6,000 adults over age 50 found that 26.4% of adults were deficient in vitamin D. Without enough vitamin D, the body can’t absorb calcium into the bones, speeding the bone loss process.
Sign up for our newsletter!
Best types of vitamin D supplements
You can find vitamin D supplements available as D3 or D2. Studies have found that vitamin D3 is more effective at raising blood levels of vitamin D, making it the better option to reach for.
Before adding a supplement, always speak to your doctor or pharmacist. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that the excess is stored in fat tissues. This makes it easier to overdose on vitamin D than on water-soluble vitamins that your body can get rid of more easily.
Kelsey Lorencz, RDN