How to Improve Bone Density Naturally: 7 Ways

In most cases, low bone density is relatively unnoticeable and painless. However, it can progress into osteoporosis, which includes symptoms like back pain, poor spinal posture, and bone fractures or breaks from seemingly mild incidents. So, how can we improve bone density now to avoid health complications down the line?

As children, we’re often told that drinking milk makes for strong bones—but that’s far from the only option out there. 

Whether you’re aware of your low bone density or are simply striving to maintain a strong body and healthy living, we have seven strategies you can incorporate into your routine to improve your bone density.

#1 Boost Your Vegetable Intake

Vegetables provide a plethora of vitamins, minerals, and fiber, all of which may play a crucial role in your level of bone density. In fact, a recent study showed that consuming less than five combined servings of fruits and veggies each day may increase an individual’s likelihood of succumbing to a hip fracture.¹

If you’re a lover of all things fresh, eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day might be a piece of (carrot) cake. But if you find yourself actively avoiding the produce aisle at the grocery store, there are a few ways you can improve your daily vegetable consumption:

• Make a chocolate smoothie (with spinach) – Add one serving of spinach to your usual smoothie blend. We enjoy mixing a cup of milk, a scoop of chocolate protein powder, a frozen banana, and two cups of spinach. Once blended, we promise you won’t taste the spinach, but your bones will appreciate the calcium and vitamin C it provides.

• Make a creamy veggie sauce – Chop your veggie of choice (we recommend sweet potatoes or red peppers) and roast them in the oven until soft. Then, add them to a blender or food processor with cottage cheese, a splash of cream, fresh parmesan cheese, and any additional spices you’d like to mix in. Voilà—a serving of veggies hidden in the creamy folds of a delectable pasta sauce.

#2 Ensure Adequate Protein Consumption

Whether it was years ago in biology class or only recently on an informative YouTube video, you’ve probably heard the common phrase, “Proteins are the building blocks of life.” But what does that mean, exactly?

Proteins are made of amino acids, an organic compound that our bodies require to repair muscles and bones. They quite literally help you put meat (AKA muscles) on your bones and make those bones more dense and strong.

So how much protein do you need each day for healthy bones?

Adults should consume 0.36 grams of protein per pound of body weight.² Using that math, a 160 lb individual should aim for a minimum of 57 to 60 grams of protein daily. If you’ve never tracked your protein intake before, that may sound like a lofty goal. However, if you split it between breakfast, lunch, and dinner, it’s only 20 grams per meal. And with a snack or two thrown in there, it’s even easier.

Below, we’re sharing some healthy, protein-filled options to help you meet your goals²:

• One cup of milk – 8 grams per cup
• Low-fat plain Greek yogurt – 16 grams per 6 ounces
• Cottage cheese – 14 grams per 4 ounces
• Beans – 8 grams per half cup
• Nuts – 7 grams per quarter cup
• Salmon – 1 grams per 3-ounce serving
• Chicken breast – 19 grams per 3-ounce serving
• Egg – 6 grams per egg

When it comes to foods like yogurt or cheese, protein values can differ from brand to brand. Just be sure to check the nutritional table for more accurate tracking.

#3 Maintain Sufficient Calcium Intake

Calcium is a crucial mineral for bone health, playing a significant role in bone formation and strength. Therefore, when considering how to improve bone density naturally, it's essential to make sure you consume sufficient calcium-rich foods. This mineral works synergistically with other essential vitamins to fortify bones, enabling them to function optimally.³

Our bodies don’t produce calcium on their own, so in addition to eating calcium-rich foods, we can obtain our daily doses by taking calcium supplements. Adults should aim for approximately 1,000 milligrams of calcium absorption each day.³

Dairy products, green vegetables, and certain breakfast cereals fortified with calcium are all excellent sources. Here’s an example of what a daily intake of calcium through food consumption might look like⁴:

• 1 cup of yogurt
• 2 slices of whole-grain bread
• 2 cups of milk 
• 1 serving of broccoli

#4 Receive Enough Vitamin D and K

With calcium covered, you’re on the right track—but are you also getting an ample dose of vitamins D and K each day? These are the invaluable vitamins responsible for helping your body absorb the calcium needed to improve your bone density.

There are a few ways to make sure you’re receiving enough of these vitamins:

• Soak up the sun – Sunlight is an excellent source of vitamin D. You can absorb your fill by spending about 10 minutes outside each day.⁵ As the sun shines on your skin, your body will absorb the ultraviolet rays as cholesterol and turn them into vitamin D.

• Eat vitamin-rich foods – You can consume your fill of vitamin K with green veggies, such as collard greens, spinach, and kale. You can also find it in animal-based foods, like meat, cheese, and eggs.⁶

• Take supplements – If you're on the go or seeking a reliable method to ensure adequate intake of vitamin D and K, consider taking daily dietary supplements in pill form. For adults, the recommended serving size for vitamin K is 100 micrograms, while vitamin D typically requires around 600 international units (IU).⁷

#5 Avoid Low-Calorie Diets

Maintaining a healthy weight plays an important role in maintaining adequate bone density. However, many individuals assume that the quickest way to lose weight is by significantly reducing their overall daily calorie intake.

For years, the magic number many people aimed for when entering a calorie deficit was 1,200 calories. While that number was (and is) enough for some, caloric intake is not a one-size-fits-all number. Severely restricting calories can reduce your bone density, especially when combined with regular exercise and continued on a long-term basis.⁸

Instead of drastically cutting calories, many doctors recommend a more gradual approach to weight loss. It's generally considered safe to aim for a deficit of 500 calories per day, which can lead to a weight loss of about half to one pound per week. For example, if your usual daily intake is 2,100 calories, aim to consume around 1,600 calories per day to achieve gradual and sustainable weight loss while preserving bone health.⁹

#6 Incorporate Strength Training

Weight-bearing exercises, whether using your body weight alone or with the addition of dumbbells, can be effective in improving bone strength and density. Strength training makes your body work against resistance, helping to make your bone tissue stronger.

If you haven't been to the gym in a while, don't worry! You can easily integrate strength training into your routine from the comfort of your own home.

If this is your first foray into this type of exercise, you can begin with bodyweight exercises that incorporate multiple muscle groups at once, while also targeting bone formation, including:

• Squats
• Push-ups
• Back extensions
• Planks

For more advanced strength exercises, you can include types of dumbbells in your workouts, adding them to lower-body exercises like squats, deadlifts, and lunges.

But let’s not forget our upper body! Adjustable dumbbells make it easy to modify the weight as needed. For an effective upper body circuit, aim for three sets of 12 to 15 repetitions of the following exercises:

• Bicep curls
• Overhead press
• Overhead tricep extension
• Lateral raises

Learn more about the benefits of adjustable dumbbells in our blog.

You can also include high-impact body weight exercises, which may be more effective in strengthening your bones and bone density.¹⁰ Examples of high-impact physical activities include:

• Jump squats
• Jumping jacks
• Burpees
• Tuck jumps

#7 Integrate a Vibration Plate Into Your Exercise Regimen

Vibration plates produce a series of high-frequency vibrations through their base. When you add a vibration plate to your workout, these vibrations cause your muscles to contract rapidly, providing an intense workout in a short amount of time compared to traditional exercises.¹¹

In terms of how they impact your bone density, the high-frequency vibrations exerted by the vibration plate place stress on your bones. This stimulation may encourage bone growth and contribute to increased bone mineral density over time.¹² So, if you’re looking to spice up your workout routine to improve bone density, consider adding a vibration plate to your workout routine.

If you’re new to the world of vibration plates, here are a few simple yet effective vibration plate exercises to jumpstart your journey:

• Step-ups, stepping onto and back off the plate
• Squats, standing on the plate, with or without dumbbells
• Plank or push-ups, with your hands placed on the plate and your feet on the floor
• Reverse lunges, keeping one foot on the plate and stepping the other back into a lunge
• Calf raises, with both feet planted on the plate

Build Strong Bones and a Stronger You with Lifepro

With a few simple routines sprinkled into your daily regimen, you can enhance your mobility and progress toward better bone density. As you gaze at yourself in the mirror, you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you're taking proactive steps to maintain both your outward appearance and inner health.

At Lifepro, we’re invested in providing you with the tools you need on your journey to health and wellness. From workout essentials like bone density-building vibration plates and adjustable dumbbells to a variety of recovery equipment like massage guns, we’re here to meet you at your stage of life and help you redefine what exercise means to you.

Feel confident and strong in your daily life. Shop Lifepro’s online selection today.

Sources:

1. NIH. Nutritional intake and bone health. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34242583/ 
2. Harvard Health. How much protein do you need every day? https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/how-much-protein-do-you-need-every-day-201506188096 
3. NIH. Calcium and Vitamin D: Important for Bone Health. https://www.niams.nih.gov/health-topics/calcium-and-vitamin-d-important-bone-health 
4. NIH. How can I get enough calcium? https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279330/ 
5. Baylor College of Medicine. How to get vitamin D without spending too much time in the sun. https://www.bcm.edu/news/how-to-get-vitamin-d-without-spending-too-much-time-in-the-sun 
6. Harvard Health. Vitamin K. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-k/ 
7. Harvard Health. Vitamin D. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-d/ 
8. NIH. Low body mass index is an important risk factor for low bone mass and increased bone loss in early postmenopausal women. Early Postmenopausal Intervention Cohort (EPIC) study group. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10469292/ 
9. Mayo Clinic. Weight loss: 6 strategies for success. https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/weight-loss/in-depth/weight-loss/art-20047752 
10. Harvard Health. Effective exercises for osteoporosis. https://www.health.harvard.edu/pain/effective-exercises-for-osteoporosis 
11. NIH. Whole body vibration exercise training for fibromyalgia. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6483692/ 
12. NIH. Whole-body vibration exercise in postmenopausal osteoporosis. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4440196/ 

Author

Joel Gottehrer

Joel Gottehrer is the Co-Founder of Lifepro Fitness and has dedicated his life to helping people transform theirs. With over 12 years of experience in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and owner of two personal training studios, Joel has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to helping transform lives. After suffering from physical injuries, Joel and his business partner, Abraham Brach, came together with a common goal to alleviate the pain caused by their injuries.

They continued to find themselves disappointed with the results stemming from various products promising to relieve their pain, and with that – Lifepro Fitness was born. Joel's mission is to have a positive impact on millions of lives with the Lifepro brand. Whether it's finding new and innovative ways to help people recover from injuries or developing products to improve overall wellness, Joel is always looking for ways to push the boundaries. Thanks to his commitment to help people live their lives free of pain, Lifepro has been able to do this for thousands of people since its founding in 2017.