You probably don’t think about your bones much. But keeping them strong as you get older is a key health move. If you trip or slip while carrying groceries or walking the dog, you can break a bone. And 1 in 4 older adults have a fall each year.¹ 

Strong bones can help you avoid fractures if you fall. They allow you to stand up straight, lean over, dance, hug a friend. They support your muscles and protect your heart, lungs and brain from injury.² And they store and release calcium, a mineral every cell in your body needs to grow.³ 

As you age, your bones also lose calcium and other minerals, making them less dense. Women, especially, can lose bone density due to menopause.⁴  

The good news is that there are still plenty of things you can do to keep your bones healthy. Here’s what you need to know. 

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How your bones change as you age 

As bones lose density, they become more brittle. That makes them fragile and weak. And easier to break or fracture, even if you don’t have a hard fall. You can also lose inches from your height, become more stooped, and walk more slowly.²  

As you age, your risk of osteoporosis, a condition where your bones get brittle and break more easily, goes up.²  

But you can ward off these problems by paying attention to your bones now. And it’s never too late, says Chad Mather, MD. He’s an orthopedic surgeon and the chief medical officer of Optum Specialty Care in Durham, North Carolina. Talk to your doctor to come up with a plan. You won’t be able to regain the bone density you had in your younger years, but you can help prevent fractures.  

“Avoiding a fracture is not only about your bone health,” says Dr. Mather. “It’s also about your physical capacity and capabilities: your balance, your strength, your endurance and so on.”  

Move as much as you can 

Staying active is one of the best things you can do to keep your bones healthy.⁵  

“With bone health, exercise has a twofold benefit,” Dr. Mather says. It builds muscle and coordination, helping to prevent falls and fractures. It also stimulates your bones to form new tissue. This can make your bones denser and less likely to break. 

Certain types of activities prevent bone loss better than others. These include heart-healthy moves such as walking, dancing, climbing stairs and playing racket sports like pickleball. These exercises force your body weight to work against gravity and stimulate your bones to bulk up.⁵ 

Older adults should aim for 150 minutes a week of moderate cardio activity. 

Also good for bones (and muscles)? Strength training, either by using weights or resistance bands or your own body weight when you do push-ups, squats or yoga. These types of exercises put stress on your bones and muscles, making them stronger.⁵ Try to do them two times a week. And don’t forget balance exercises, such as standing on one leg, lunges or tai chi.  

But don’t feel bad if you can’t meet those recommendations right now. “Anything is better than nothing,” Dr. Mather says. Start slowly and focus on adding more movement gradually. 

An Optum doctor can give you advice on how to keep your bones healthy, now and for the long run. Find an Optum doctor. 

Get plenty of vitamin D and calcium 

Vitamin D is a key vitamin for bone health. It helps the body absorb and hold onto calcium, another bone-building superstar. Without enough vitamin D, your body can’t make use of the calcium in your blood to build bone, explains Dr. Mather. This can spell trouble for bones. 

Women over 50 and men over 70 need 1,200 milligrams of calcium a day.⁶ Up until age 70, you need 600 international units (IU) of vitamin D per day, and then 800 IU after age 70.⁶ But many people don’t get enough vitamin D, Dr. Mather notes. 

“Getting outside in the sun is far and away the best source of vitamin D,” he says. That’s because your body produces vitamin D from sunlight. But you’ll need to also protect your skin from too much sun, which can increase your risk of developing skin cancer. 

You can also get vitamin D from foods. Healthy choices include:⁶ 

• Fortified dairy products and orange juice 
• Fatty fish, such as salmon and tuna 
• Mushrooms  
• Eggs 

Good food sources of calcium include:⁶  

• Sardines (with bones) 
• Soy products, such as tofu 
• Dairy 
• Almonds 
• Leafy greens, such as spinach and kale 

Your doctor can also assess your bone metabolism, including checking your vitamin D levels. This is especially important if you have a family history of low bone density or fragility fractures, says Dr. Mather. (A fragility fracture is a broken bone that happens from a low-trauma event, like falling out of bed or falling from a standing position.⁷ They usually affect the hip, wrist, shoulder or spine.) 

If you have had a fragility fracture, it is key that you see your provider to talk about potential causes and prevention strategies, Dr. Mather explains. You can discuss what supplements or medications might help.  

If you smoke cigarettes, quit  

Smoking not only increases your odds of heart and lung diseases but also damages your bones.⁸ 

It weakens your bones in several ways. For one, the nicotine in cigarettes slows the production of bone-forming cells. You make less bone tissue as a result. Smoking also causes your body to absorb less calcium from food, making bones more fragile.⁸ 

There are many tools you can use to quit smoking, including over-the-counter nicotine patches and gum, prescription medications and counseling. Talk to your doctor or call a free confidential telephone quitline like 1-800-QUIT-NOW.  

Don’t drink too much 

If you drink alcohol, stick to one glass a day (or less) if you’re female, or two a day (or less) if you’re male. Drinking more raises your risk of bone loss and fractures.^{2, 6} 

See your doctor 

It’s essential to partner with your doctor to keep your bones healthy. Tell your Optum doctor if you’ve had a fall, even if you weren’t injured. One fall doubles your chances of falling again. Plus, it can make you afraid, so you’re less likely to be active, which can make you weaker and more likely to fall.⁹ 

Otherwise, be sure to visit your primary care provider for a checkup at least once a year. Your Optum doctor can recommend screening tests to check your bone density. They can talk to you about specific nutrients, supplements, exercises or medications that can help you boost bone health.  

Doing all of these things can help keep your bones strong for years to come. That way, you’ll be able to stay active and independent and do the things you love. That’s a great health goal. And your Optum care team will be there to help you reach it. 

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Consult your doctor prior to beginning an exercise program or making changes to your lifestyle or health care routine. 

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