Simple Ways to Keep Your Bones Strong as You Age
Dec 11, 2025
Strong bones help you maintain your balance and stay active and confident at any age. Yet bone density naturally decreases over time, and this loss can affect your stability, strength, and ability to recover from injuries.
Approximately 10 million people in the U.S. have osteoporosis. Another 44 million have low bone density, which puts them at greater risk for fractures. These fractures can take a toll: People who fracture a hip, for example, sometimes never heal completely and may experience a decline in health.
At Doctors Weight Loss in Laguna Hills, California, our expert team can test your bone density, develop a personalized risk plan, and monitor your progress. And because your bones are living tissues that respond to movement, nutrients, and healthy daily habits, your daily choices also make a big difference.
Let’s take a closer look at how each of those factors supports your bone health.
Exercise forces your bones to adapt and grow stronger. Weight-bearing exercises like walking, dancing, or playing tennis help maintain bone density by working against gravity and putting force on your muscles and tendons in ways that support bone strength.
Strength training, such as free weights, body-weight exercises, or resistance bands, helps build new bone. Strength training works areas like your arms, shoulders, hips, and upper spine that exercises like walking don’t target.
Balance and mobility exercises help improve balance and reduce your risk of falls, which indirectly supports bone health.
Experts recommend a minimum of 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity exercise a week. Or, if a vigorous workout is more to your liking, 75 minutes a week will strengthen your bones. Then, add strength training twice a week.
The important thing is to find activities you enjoy and can do consistently.
Calcium helps you form and maintain the mineral structure of your bones, so your intake matters. The Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of calcium is 1000 mg per day, and increases as you age. For women 51 and older, the RDA is 1200 mg per day, and the same for men 71 and older.
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium. Many adults need more vitamin D than they realize. We can help you develop a supplement regimen that supports your bone health.
Additionally, eat nutrient-rich whole foods like salmon, leafy greens, and legumes. These foods supply minerals and proteins your bones use to stay strong.
Besides eating a healthy diet and exercising, it helps to quit smoking, limit alcohol, and maintain a healthy weight. Smoking, alcohol, and excess weight interfere with how your body builds and maintains bone.
Also, as you age, fall prevention becomes one of the most effective ways to protect your bones, as it reduces the chance of fractures. Fortunately, simple practices can help you maintain your balance and avoid falls.
Try Tai Chi or yoga for structured balance poses, or look for balance exercises on YouTube. At home, remove trip hazards, install grab bars in your shower, and wear stable and supportive shoes.
When you treat bone health as part of your overall health, you can build habits that support it.
Your bones respond to healthy choices. Frequent movement, nutrition, and small daily habits add up. If you’re in Laguna Hills, California, Doctors Weight Loss can schedule your bone density evaluation and build a customized plan for you.