Nutrition
Nutrition and Bone Health
The critical years for building bone mass are during childhood and adolescence. This is when new bone is formed more quickly than old bone is removed, causing bones to become larger and denser. This pace continues until around the mid 20’s when ‘peak bone mass’ is normally reached (maximum bone density). Bone tissue loss generally begins after the age of about 40 years, when we are no longer able to replace bone tissue as quickly as we lose it. In women, the rate of bone tissue loss increases quite substantially in the few years immediately after menopause, when estrogen production stops and bones no longer benefit from its protective effect. Men also suffer from loss of bone tissue after age 50 years, but the rate of loss is slower than in women. At this stage in life, taking preventive measures – including ensuring a balanced, healthy diet – will help to slow the rate of bone tissue thinning and reduce the risk of having osteoporosis related fractures, for both men and women.
Good nutrition, especially protein, calcium and vitamin D, is important for preserving bone mass and strength in adults and the elderly. In addition, attention to nutrition is an important component of a successful rehabilitation program in patients who have had an osteoporotic fracture. The importance of this lifestyle factor is that it is amenable to change: individuals can take positive steps to strengthen their bones and reduce their risk of osteoporosis.
Calcium and vitamin D alone are insufficient to prevent the rapid bone loss that occurs in women around the time of the menopause, or to reduce fracture risk optimally in patients with osteoporosis. Nevertheless, they are an essential component of therapy to ensure maximum effectiveness of pharmacological therapy, in patients diagnosed with osteoporosis
