The Top 5 Essential Nutrients for Optimal Bone Health

There are 206 bones in the body, and they support your body, allow you to move, and protect your organs. Bone structure changes as you age, which means maintaining bone health is essential. Diet is critical to this, but there is no one ‘magic’ nutrient. There are, however, five essential nutrients your daily routine should include for optimal bone health and strength.

1. Calcium

Calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, and it is essential for bone health. It also supports heart, muscle, and nervous system function. Most people reach their peak bone mass around age 30, at which point the body replaces about as much bone as it loses.

It is important to be proactive about maintaining bone health because it is easier to prevent bone deterioration than to build new bone. By maintaining adequate calcium levels, you can help support healthy bone density at any age.

We must get calcium through our diet because the human body does not contain enough calcium to function independently. Good sources of calcium include dairy products, leafy green vegetables, oatmeal, salmon, and calcium-fortified foods

Take care with whole milk dairy products. Despite having highly bioavailable forms of calcium, they are also high in saturated fats.

You can also get calcium through supplements to ensure you get the recommended daily intake, which is 1,000 milligrams per day for adult men and women and 1,200 milligrams per day for women over the age of 50.

2. Vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 is part of a family of fat-soluble vitamins that the body needs for proper blood clotting, bone metabolism, and heart health. K2 is more readily absorbed than other members of the K vitamin family and stays in the blood longer. This means more health benefits for you.

Your skeletal system remodels itself every eight to twelve years, replacing older bone cells with newer ones. This process involves activation and inhibition of vitamin K2-dependent proteins on bone cells, to support bone formation and suppress bone resorption.

When paired with vitamin D3, you get additional bone health benefits. Vitamin K2 helps to release calcium so that it doesn’t accumulate along arterial walls. Vitamin D3 then transports this calcium to places where it can be used, like your bones. For optimal bone health, it is recommended to pair vitamin D3 with MenaQ7™, as formulated in OsteoMD®.

Vitamin K2, when taken at the clinically effective dose of 180 mcg, is considered safe for consumption. You can get this through supplements or add more vitamin K2-rich foods to your diet, such as beef, chicken, egg yolks, fatty fish like salmon, fermented foods, and hard cheeses.

3. Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 (cholecalciferol) is a form of vitamin D naturally found in animals and is produced by the skin when exposed to sunlight. This essential vitamin helps the body to better absorb calcium absorption from food and directs it onto the bone for proper skeletal mineralization and stronger bone density.

The daily recommended intake for vitamin D3 is 600 IU (international units) for adults up to age 70 and 800 IU for those over 70. Get vitamin D3 from fatty fish like salmon and tuna, as well as beef liver, egg yolks, cheese, and mushrooms, or take a highly-bioavailable supplement like 1MD Nutrition’s D3 to ensure your bones get what they need.

4. Vitamin C

Vitamin C is an essential nutrient to immune system function and overall health. It is also essential for the formation of collagen, the foundation upon which bone is built on. With proper levels of vitamin C, you can promote and maintain healthy bone density.

You need to get vitamin C through diet as your body is not able to produce it. You can find vitamin C in citrus fruits, berries, tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, spinach, brussels sprouts, and cabbage. One thing to remember is that vitamin C is water-soluble, so is not stored in the body. This means some people may not have sufficient amounts, but a supplement can help maintain healthy levels.

The daily recommended intake for vitamin C is 90 milligrams for adult men and 75 milligrams for adult women. If you are specifically looking to promote bone density, the high vitamin C content in a Cissus quadrangularis extract works alongside vitamins D3 and K2 to keep your bones string and healthy.

5. Collagen

Collagen is the most abundant protein in the body, found in the bones, muscles, skin, and tendons. It has a fiber-like structure that makes connective tissue, providing strength and holding your body together. In bone, collagen represents more than 90% of the organic matrix.

Collagen is secreted by various cells, but its production begins to slow as you age. Given that your bones are made mostly of collagen, it is important to maintain collagen for optimal bone strength. The daily recommended intake for collagen is between 2.5 to 15 g per day for adults.

There are several high-protein foods that contain the amino acids (glycine, proline, and hydroxyproline) that make collagen. These include fish, poultry, meat, eggs, dairy, legumes, and soy. You can also support collagen production with nutrients like zinc, found in shellfish, legumes, nuts, seeds, whole grains, and vitamin C.

OsteoMD® for Extra Support

With some exceptions, a balanced diet provides adequate nutrients for most people. However, life can get in the way, and you don’t want your bones to miss out on the essential nutrients they need.

With 1MD Nutrition’s OsteoMD®, you can help keep your bones strong st any age. This doctor-formulated bone health supplement features powerful ingredients, including:

• MenaQ7™: The only clinically-studied form of vitamin K2 available on the market to support healthy bone formation.
• Calzbone®: A patented, standardized extract of Cissus quadrangularis that supports the bone-formation process.
• Calcium Hydroxyapatite: A bioavailable, whole mineral form of calcium, the substance on which bone cells build bone.
• Vitamin D3: To boost calcium absorption and proper bone mineralization.

Final Thoughts

Nutrition is one of the most important factors in the promotion of bone health, along with regular exercise, everyday stress management, and healthy weight management. The best way to meet the nutritional needs of your bones is with a balanced diet that includes these essential nutrients. And, when you need a little something extra, 1MD Nutrition’s OsteoMD® has you covered.