Diet & Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis is a debilitating disease that causes bones to become fragile and break. Although women are at higher risk, men can also develop the disease. Aside from regular exercise, a proper diet is vital for strong bone health.

Risk Factors

• People at risk for developing osteoporosis are women over age 50, those who have a parent with the disease, heavy smokers and drinkers, those who live a sedentary lifestyle and those with low levels of calcium, vitamin D, estrogen or testosterone.

Recommended Diet

• An osteoporosis diet should consist of foods containing calcium, potassium, magnesium, protein and vitamin D, such as dairy products, fresh fruit, green leafy vegetables, beans, whole grain breads and cereals, eggs, potatoes, low-fat cheeses, tuna, salmon and lean meats.

Nutritional Supplements

• An osteoporosis diet should be supplemented with daily doses of vitamin D and calcium recommended for your age group. Calcium needs to be taken in doses of no more than 500 mg at a time.

Considerations

• Foods that can cause bones to lose calcium are salt, caffeine and carbonated drinks. Soy products and foods high in fiber can cause calcium-absorption problems.

Tips

• People suffering from osteoporosis should do weight-bearing exercises and refrain from smoking and drinking alcohol.