I'm a doctor – these are the things I'd do now to protect my bones later
- Dr Dan Baumgardt
Published: October 22, 2026 at 11:31 AM
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Discover the easy – and important – ways to protect your bones
When it comes to recognising the years slipping by, we tend to be most obsessed with the bits that we can see in the mirror. The greys, the wrinkles, the receding hairline – and often pay very little attention to the skeleton we’ve all got in the closet.
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While we’re trying to do everything to fix what’s going on at the surface, our bones can be facing their own form of midlife crisis that we’re doing nothing about. They’re also vulnerable to changes as we age – changes that can leave them weaker, more fragile or liable to fracture.
We tend to think of our skeletons as a solid, unerring framework, but bone is very much living tissue. And it’s constantly in a state of flux, being broken down and rebuilt over and over again. Specialist cells can remove old bone, releasing calcium and other minerals from it, and then build up new material, which maintains the structure and integrity of our skeleton.
Our bones act as a vast reservoir for calcium, a mineral which is vitally important for many different body functions, from muscle contraction to nerve signalling, and more. And it can be called upon at any time the body needs it – think of it as a sort of calcium storecupboard.
But bone composition can change with time and as we age, the balance between bone breakdown and reconstruction can shift in a different direction. And if breakdown begins to overtake rebuilding, it’ll leave us with progressively weaker bones.
There are many different types of bone disease. Perhaps the best known example is the condition osteoporosis. This is where bones become brittle, vulnerable and more likely to fracture. And this is far from a trivial problem, since the fractures we’re potentially talking about may not be a simple case of a bone breaking into two (which is bad enough). Instead, fragile bones can sometimes fracture into multiple fragments, requiring complex surgery, while certain fractures may not be suitable for surgical repair at all.
In some instances, osteoporosis is so severe that only mild trauma is required to break the bone and could stem from something completely innocuous like bending over, or indeed coughing! Recovery times can also be lengthy, especially in older patients, with some suffering from prolonged disability and a permanent loss of confidence and independence.
Another bone condition is osteomalacia, which occurs when bones aren’t properly mineralised with calcium which gives them their durability. As a result, bones become softer and weaker causing bone deformity and pain, muscle weakness and sometimes causing fractures, too. A similar problem can be diagnosed in children and is called rickets.
While some of the processes behind these conditions are beyond our control, there is plenty we can do to give our bones a fighting chance. These are some steps can we take to protect our skeleton from becoming weaker as we age.
4 ways to protect your bone health
Eat a diet rich in both calcium and vitamin D
Diet is a really important consideration when it comes to building strong bones – namely one which provides enough calcium, which we know is important for bone architecture and strength. It also regulates our heartbeat and ensures that blood clots properly. The body works hard to keep calcium levels tightly regulated, as too much can be a bad thing, but if you’ve got too little coming in, it means that your body may have to turn to your bones as a source. Symptoms that might suggest you have low calcium include muscle aches and spasms or a sensation of 'pins and needles'. It can also affect your mood, causing anxiety or depression.
Dairy products are particularly high in calcium, as well as other foods such as small fish including sardines (think of the bones), nuts, seeds and leafy greens. Fortified plant milks can also provide a great source of calcium if you’re following a vegan diet. And there’s something for cheese connoisseurs to celebrate; one of the highest calcium-containing foodstuffs is parmesan, clocking in nearly 1200mg per 100g (recommended daily intake for most adults is about 700mg daily). So even a little, grated onto your pasta, can give you a great calcium boost.
The other important dietary consideration is vitamin D. It’s fundamental to absorption of calcium from the gut so without it, extra calcium in your diet would mean very little.
Vitamin D can be found in dairy and oily fish too, but is also in eggs and fortified breakfast foods, like bread and cereals. Much of our vitamin D comes courtesy of the sun. Sunlight hitting the skin converts cholesterol-derived compounds into vitamin D. But if sunlight isn’t in plentiful supply (like in winter) or if you’re covering your skin, producing enough can be difficult. That’s why it’s sometimes useful to increase the amount in your diet, or take a supplement.
Incorporate strength training into your exercise routine
Exercise is another important way to stave off the loss of bone mass as we age.
While it may initially sound counterintuitive, bones do often respond remarkably well to being put under pressure. When lifting weights or performing resistance exercises, the forces acting on the bone stimulate bone-building cells (also called osteoblasts), improving bone strength. Building up muscle mass through resistance training also makes for greater strength and increased muscle force during contraction provides another valuable stimulus for bone growth.
For those who have to go a little more carefully, lighter loads and working up gradually can help, as can ordinary weight-bearing exercise like running and hill walking, as the stimulus still exerts a decent effect on bones.
Aerobic exercise also has its place but with some caveats. Very excessive or endurance cardiovascular exercise, especially without adequate nutrition, can disrupt hormone levels and negatively impact bone mass. Some other sports, like swimming and cycling, while great for other aspects of health, provide little stimulus for bone growth.
Other exercises can help build up postural muscles and improve balance, which is another big consideration with regards to protecting your bones as it helps to prevent falls. Important exercises here include those which enhance proprioception – our body’s sense of where its different parts are located in time and space, and include yoga or tai chi. Building up your coordination can be extremely useful to reduce the risk of falling in later life, which could sometimes unexpectedly culminate in a fracture.
Stop smoking and reduce alcohol intake
Smoking is a killer of bones from many different directions. It reduces blood flow to bones, limiting both oxygen and nutrition needed for healthy growth. It interferes with calcium and vitamin D metabolism, but also impacts hormones like oestrogen which have a positive effect on bone mass. Nicotine and other substances in smoke can also impact the bone cells directly involved in bone recycling and tip the balance from growth to breakdown.
After a bone break, smokers also generally have prolonged healing and recovery times, and the fractures may not heal as effectively. So, aside from all the other risks associated with smoking, the impact on bone health is another compelling reason to give it up.
Excessive alcohol can also have similar effects on blood supply, bone mass and hormones – and not just on oestrogen, but others like cortisol and parathyroid hormone. The risk of bone injury while inebriated also increases, since alcohol impairs balance, coordination and judgement.
Maintain a healthy body weight, avoiding any extremes
Avoiding extremes of body weight is another crucial element to good bone health, since being both underweight and overweight can impact bone mass negatively.
Take obesity first. Carrying extra weight can put prolonged stress on bone, different to the beneficial on-off effects of resistance training we’ve seen before. Low body mass index (BMI) is a stressor which switches off hormonal cycles and depletes natural protective influences on bone. Being underweight can also mean lower muscle mass, reducing that important stimulus for maintaining bone strength.
So in maintaining a healthy weight, a normal BMI is the best place to occupy – somewhere between 18.5 and 25 is considered a healthy range.
When to see a GP
Despite all the instances when lifestyle changes could make a positive difference, there are times where our bones need extra support – and that’s where your GP comes in.
The most commonly prescribed medications for osteoporosis are called bisphosphonates, which slow down bone breakdown and preserve density. Other treatments include hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in some women, since there is a strong association between osteoporosis and the menopause. Declining oestrogen can accelerate bone loss, so replacing it can help restore density, while treating many other menopausal symptoms.
But there are other options available and discussion with a GP is important in order to assess risk of developing a fracture and direct any investigations or treatment.
Ultimately, bones deserve more attention than they’re commonly given. They work tirelessly in the wings, are irreplaceable and declining bone density may remain hidden until accidents happen. It’s never too early or too late to start looking out for them. Small, consistent changes can make meaningful differences, with much wider implications for health, activity and independence than originally thought.
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Authors
Dr Dan BaumgardtSenior Lecturer in Neuroscience
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