it’s hard to appreciate strong bones until you experience the effect of a broken one. Although general bone growth stops in your twenties, you can count on them remaining relatively strong and stable. up to the age of 50. After this key age, bone loss accelerates and rebuilding slows, especially once menopause begins in 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 exercising and eating right can helpyou may want to consider a supplement to keep your bones strong after age 50. A vitamin d supplement it can help maximize bone strength and minimize bone loss as you age.
Without enough vitamin D, calcium it can’t do its job of maintaining bone mass and strength. Calcium is a mineral needed for bone growth, but you may not need calcium supplements if you eat a variety of food. After age 51, women need 1,200 milligrams of calcium per day, while men need 1,000 milligrams per day. Eating a few servings of dairy, soy, or canned fish along with fortified foods and beverages can help you easily meet your daily calcium needs.
“Vitamin D is needed to absorb calcium, a key component of strong bones. As we age, our vitamin D levels tend to decline, often due to decreased sun exposure,” he says. Amanda Lane, MS, RD, CDCESfounder of Healthy Lane Nutrition, LLC. Adults ages 51 to 70 need at least 15 micrograms of daily vitamin D.
Why you may need to supplement your diet with vitamin D
Vitamin D is more difficult to find in food. The only foods that naturally contain vitamin D they are fish, beef liver, egg yolks, and mushrooms that have been exposed to ultraviolet light. Dairy products and other beverages can be fortified with vitamin D.
As long as your body can make your own vitamin d through sun exposure, the process becomes less effective with age. Having dark skin, spending time indoors, and living at a northern latitude also increase your risk of vitamin D deficiency.
A european study of more than 6,000 adults over the age of 50 found that 26.4% of adults were deficient in vitamin D. Without enough vitamin D, the body cannot absorb calcium into the bones, accelerating the process of bone loss.
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The 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 vitamin D levels in the blood, making it the best option to reach for.
Before adding a supplement, always talk to your doctor or pharmacist. Vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means that the excess is stored in fatty 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
Kelsey Lorencz is a registered dietitian, freelance writer, nutrition consultant, and sustainable food blogger. read more
