What is the Best Vitamin for Bone Health?
Did you know you have over 200 bones in your body? These bones make up around 15% of your body mass. Did you also know that when you’re first born, you are actually born with more than 300 bones? As we get older, some of those bones develop and fuse together. You can see that bone health is kind of a big deal. We should be concerned with a part of our body that represents a sizable chunk of our entire system. Yet sadly, only roughly 30% of American adults get the recommended daily allowance of bone density promoting vitamins like calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, and vitamin K2. This is probably why over 50 million Americans are affected by osteoporosis and low bone density. Needless to say, our skeletal system is probably one of our most neglected systems in the body.
There is a little bit of good news though. According to Google trends, bone health has been gaining a steady rise in interest over the past 5 years, but one of the most important things we can do for proper bone health is to make sure we are getting the proper vitamin nutrition where it counts. Yes, bone broth might help. Yes, proper exercise (if you can believe it, there’s a yoga routine created specifically for bone health!) can help.
But when it comes to the best vitamins for bone health, there are really only 4 vitamins you should be concerned with: calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, and vitamin K2.
Each of these work synergistically together to improve bone density. We’ll dive into the science of each of those in the next section, but calcium, magnesium, vitamin D3, and vitamin K2 are easily the most important vitamins and minerals for bone health.
READ MORE: Why Taking A Mineral Supplement Can Fill In Your Diet And Nutritional Gaps
How Do I Make My Bones Stronger?
Okay...so we’ve talked a little bit about the importance of bone health. Hopefully, you’ve learned a thing or two up to this point. It’s not every day we wake up worried about our bones. This is primarily one of the reasons our bone health and our overall skeletal system are neglected. Most of the time, we are only concerned with it...when it breaks. Remember, only about 30% of Americans are getting proper bone minerals and vitamins every day in their diet. According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, approximately 10 million Americans suffer from osteoporosis and around 44 million have low bone density. Yikes! Poor bone health usually affects those later in life, but proper preventative measures and proper steps can be taken to increase bone density and promote bone health. Here are 5 incredibly effective ways to make your bones stronger:
Eat Protein
Most people think bones are just strictly made up of calcium. Couldn’t be further from the truth. Our bones are mostly made of collagen which is a protein that provides a soft scaffolding-link framework (about 50% of our bone). It’s calcium phosphate, which is a mineral, that adds the strength and hardens the framework. Researchers have said that low protein diets can have a negative impact on bones because it decreases calcium absorption, directly impacting our bone mineral density. Luckily, Xyngular Complete Collagen not only includes 10g of bone-building collagen, but also includes vitamin C, digestive enzymes, and fulvic minerals to optimize absorption and delivery into the bloodstream.
Eat Vegetables
Mom and Dad were right on this one. Not only are vegetables one of the best natural sources of vitamin C (which have been known to increase the production of bone cells), there are some studies which show a link between vitamin C’s ability to protect those cells from harm.
Consume Calcium
This feels like a no-brainer, but many people still struggle to maintain proper amounts of critical vitamins and minerals for healthy bone density. Calcium is the most critical mineral for your bones. Period. It’s not only the main mineral found in bones, it’s also the main mineral that we need our body to absorb to protect bone strength and structure. For adults, about 1,000mg per day is sufficient. Teens need a little bit more though (1,300 mg per day).
Proper Vitamin D3 and Vitamin K2 Intake
Consuming calcium is important, but perhaps even more vital is how your body metabolizes and absorbs that calcium consumption. This is where vitamin D3 and vitamin K2 are key. The most integral role of vitamin D3 in this process is to help your body absorb calcium. Study after study has shown how low vitamin D levels are correlated with lower bone density. And vitamin D deficiency is quite common. Yeah, you can get vitamin D through the sun and other food sources, but many people need to supplement daily vitamin D. Along those same lines, vitamin K2 promotes bone density by binding minerals in bones which can help prevent the loss of calcium in bones. To summarize, vitamin D3 increases calcium absorption and vitamin K2 binds those minerals together.
Take Magnesium
It’s hard to talk about bone strength without talking about magnesium. This mineral is vital in transforming vitamin D into an active form which facilitates and supports calcium absorption in the body. To be fair, magnesium’s role in healthy bones is just as important as vitamin D3 and vitamin K2. What’s difficult about magnesium is it isn’t found in common foods we eat. In fact, there are only a handful of foods (almonds, some nuts, and avocados) which contain optimal levels of magnesium. And you have to consume a lot of those to get your recommended daily amount. Supplementation remains one of the most effective ways to take magnesium. So the next time you’re researching a bone health supplement, make sure magnesium is on the ingredients list.
One more important note about vitamins and minerals. You can’t look at taking these vitamins and minerals in a vacuum. They’re not mutually exclusive. You need the entourage effect of how one mineral affects another and how that affects vitamin absorption. One of the best ways to ensure proper vitamin and mineral nutrition is through a vitamin supplement such as Xyngular’s Axion. Just a simple once-a-day fix to improve nutrient intake.
Can You Rebuild Bone Density?
For a moment, let’s pretend you’ve had some measure of bone density loss. Is it possible to reverse bone loss? It depends on the total amount of bone density which has been lost and depends on each individual. In all seriousness, results will vary from person to person. Although it’s not impossible to regain bone density, it is difficult to replace. This is why being proactive with our bones is vital. Get ahead of the deterioration game. Start young and build healthy habits. We know as we naturally age, we’re going to lose bone density and see a decline in bone health. But that doesn’t mean we can’t take a positive approach to improving the health of our bones. The ultimate goal is to stabilize bone loss.
Sometimes we forget that our bones are living tissue which reacts to things like nutrition, exercise, and what we do to our bodies. So...what are some best practices to sustain and possibly rebuild bone density?
Proper Nutrition and Supplements
As mentioned above, calcium and vitamin D are super important for strong and healthy bones. Eat healthy foods which increase bone density (read more about this in the next section) and to ensure you’re getting the right amount of calcium and vitamin D, opt-in for a premium vitamin supplement such as Axion from Xyngular.
Avoid Medications Which Cause A Decrease In Bone Density
Believe it or not, some medications we take increase the loss of bones; some more rapid than others. The American Bone Health Organization has a list of common medications that can harm your bones. Some of these include thyroid medications, diabetes medications, blood thinners, and some cortisone-like pills. To be safe and sure, the next time a doctor prescribes a medication ask them if it affects your bone health.
Exercise!
Something as simple as basic exercise such as walking, running, minor weightlifting, aerobics, and light cardio can improve our bone mineral density. As an extra added benefit, exercise naturally increases our balance. As we exercise, we increase muscle strength which, in turn, helps prevent trips and falls which often result in... you guessed it... broken bones.
Quit Smoking. Quit Drinking.
Cigarette smoking has long been identified as a major risk factor for osteoporosis. Furthermore, there is research which suggests smoking can also have a negative impact on bone healing after a fracture. Although not as serious of a factor as smoking, alcohol use (characterized as heavy drinking ~ more than two alcoholic drinks daily) is also linked with osteoporosis and bone loss.
Want the bone-density and bone health benefits in your life? Ask your Xyngular Distributor or log into your Xyngular account and learn more!
More on Bone Health From Xyngular
Bone Health And You: Discover The Benefits Of Calcium and Vitamin D
Why Taking A Mineral Supplement Can Fill In Your Diet And Nutritional Gaps
Want To Feel Happier And Healthier? Get Some Sunlight
*These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.
