Being physically agile and fit requires strong bones, which provide structural integrity and strength to the body besides protecting the vital organs. An active lifestyle, in turn, ensures optimal bone health, the importance of which goes beyond body structure or definition. Bones store and release minerals, which are essential for numerous physiological processes. While we all know that calcium intake, the nutrient with a direct association, is important for the health of the skeletal system, other nutrients are vital for maintaining bone health as well. Along with nutrition, exercise also plays an important role in bone health, say experts.
Nutrition for bone health
“Many of us picture a glass of milk when we think about bone health,” says Dr Mumtaz Khalid Ismail, a consultant clinical nutritionist from Kochi, Kerala. “It is an image imprinted in our minds since we were kids. However, calcium alone cannot support the bones or maintain bone health. Additional nutrients are also necessary.”
While calcium is the main nutrient needed for bone health, vitamin D also contributes significantly. It facilitates the absorption of calcium from the intestines into the bloodstream. After being absorbed, calcium must be efficiently utilised. Calcium levels in the blood are regulated by vitamin D, ensuring that there is enough calcium for a variety of physiological processes, including bone formation.
“In addition to calcium and vitamin D, protein is crucial for bone health as well,” adds Dr Ismail. “For vegetarians, it is recommended to combine cereal grains and pulses with leafy vegetables to get adequate amounts of protein from the diet, as grains include several amino acids that are not present in pulses.”
Exercises for bone health
While food provides nutrition, exercise provides the stimulus for bone health. Regular exercise not only strengthens the muscles, but also the bones. Exercises are known to enhance mineralisation of the bones, thereby improving bone density. It helps improve muscle strength and mass, which in turn offer protection and support to the bones.
“Exercises can be chosen based on an individual’s age, fitness level, diet and past injury history,” says Dr Pavan Chebbi, senior consultant orthopedic surgeon at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Bengaluru, who classifies exercises that are beneficial for bone health into two categories: isometric and isotonic.
“Isometric exercises are those which involve remaining in a static position while engaging the muscles,” adds Dr Chebbi. “By starting with fewer repetitions [reps], one can progressively increase the number of reps. Besides boosting strength and increasing muscle endurance, it can prepare you better for isotonic exercises [exercises that require muscles to resist weight over a range of motion], which help develop muscle endurance, increase muscle size [hypertrophy] and improve overall muscle tone. It is more strenuous.”
When choosing physical exercise, the elderly need to take note of their current muscle and bone ailments as well as their injury history.
“There is no age limit to engaging in exercises,” says Dr Chebbi. “Even people with arthritis and injuries can work out. Isometric exercises are the best choice for such people. They might also need assistance from a trainer, who can personally care for them.”
Lifestyle factors that affect bone health
According to experts, some lifestyle choices that can hamper bone health include:
♦ Inadequate sunlight exposure: Sunlight is essential for the body to synthesise vitamin D, which aids in calcium absorption. Lack of sunlight exposure or use of sunscreen can result in insufficient vitamin D production.
“Although you can receive a small amount of vitamin D from dietary sources, sunlight is the primary source,” says Dr Ismail. “Today, most people wear sunscreen indoors as well. It limits sunlight absorption, thereby limiting vitamin D synthesis in the body.”
“The optimum time to expose yourself to the sun in a metropolitan city is typically between 11 am and 1 pm.”
♦ Sedentary lifestyle: A sedentary lifestyle can negatively impact bone health.
“Lack of physical activity puts a lot of pressure on the bones. It contributes to muscle weakness, which further compromises bone health, as muscles play a crucial role in supporting and protecting the bones,” says Dr Chebbi.
♦ Improper workout routine: An improper exercise regimen may put inadequate stress on the bones, which can prevent them from remodelling and adapting, compromising their strength.
“Practices like not doing warm-up and cool-down exercises or jumping into high-intensity workouts without building up your body strength can have a harmful effect on the health of your bones,” says Dr Chebbi.
Takeaways
- Strong bones are essential for physical mobility and strength. They support the body’s structure and protect key organs.
- While calcium is the primary nutrient required for bone health, vitamin D and protein also play a significant role in maintaining healthy bones .
- Regular exercise helps to strengthen bones by aiding mineralisation and strengthening muscles, thereby providing support and protection to the bones.
- Numerous lifestyle factors like inadequate exposure to sunlight, use of sunscreen, a sedentary lifestyle and poor exercise habits can harm bone health.
