How to Increase Bone Density Naturally: 11 Methods

You must have seen many ads promoting bone health supplements for women over 30. But are they the only ones who need to worry about their bones? Men also experience a decrease in bone density with ageing.

The good news is, it’s not always necessary to take medication to support bone health.  If you start taking the right steps at the right time, you can help your bones stay strong or even prevent them from weakening.

There are some Ayurvedic medicines for stronger bones, like Krishna’s Sciatifix Juice,  and many other ways to increase bone density naturally that we will discuss in this blog.

Check out other Ayurvedic products for bone issues:

• Krishna’s Joint Pain Care Juice– Great for knee pain and other joint problems.
• Krishna’s Uric Balance Juice– Works best in patients suffering from gout.
• Krishan’s Harshringar Leaf Juice– A great option for improving bone health naturally.

What Happens to Your Bones as You Get Older

Bones are hard, strong tissues that are densely packed with collagen, flexible fibres, and minerals (primarily calcium and phosphorus). Your bones make up around 15 percent of your body weight and help your body give its shape and structure and withstand the stress that is put on it from activities like walking, running and jumping.

Bone is a living tissue that constantly rebuilds and reshapes on its own. But it changes with the passing years of your life. In your younger years, your body builds bone faster than it breaks it down. By your late teens or early twenties, you hit peak bone mass, the point where your bones are at their strongest.

However, things shift with growing age. Your bones start losing density, and the bone mass starts to decline. This process may happen at a rapid pace if you’re not leading a healthy life, like taking care of your nutrition or staying active.

For women, this decline speeds up during menopause (monthly periods stop permanently) due to a drop in estrogen. Men also experience bone loss, but at a slower pace because testosterone decreases more gradually. But, by the time you’re in your 60s, everyone is in the same boat, regardless of gender.

The decrease in bone density increases your risk of fractures. In fact, the risk of conditions like osteopenia and osteoporosis, where your bones become fragile, doubles with every five years after age 65.

Also Read: What Are 7 Different Joint Disorders?

11 Natural Ways To Increase Bone Density

1. Eat Calcium-Rich Foods

Your body requires calcium so that it continues building and maintaining healthy bones. It’s the main mineralfor good bone density. In fact, almost 99% of the calcium in your body is stored in your bones and teeth. Though most of the calcium you get is through a good diet but with growing age and low bone density, the demand for calcium increases. If it’s not fulfilled through your diet, your body will start pulling it from your bones, which eventually makes them weaker.

So, what is the daily calcium requirement?

According to Mayo Clinic, for adults between the ages of 19 and 50, and for men aged 51 to 70, it’s recommended to get 1,000 milligrams (mg) of calcium each day. However, this amount increases to 1,200 mg per day for women over 50 and men over 70.

The best way to meet your calcium needs is by eating foods that are rich in calcium. Getting calcium from your diet is better than taking supplements.

Good dietary sources of calcium are:

• Milk, curd, paneer, cheese and other dairy foods
• Tofu
• Green vegetables, like broccoli, peppers, cabbage and okra
• Soya beans
• Plant-based drinks (such as soya drink) fortified with calcium
• Ragi (nachni), sesame seeds, almonds

2. Get Plenty of Vitamin D

From the plethora of dietary supplements for bone density, one that sticks out is vitamin D. This is an important vitamin that helps your body absorb the calcium from the food you consume. Without enough vitamin D, even if you’re eating plenty of calcium, your bones might not get the full benefit. Thus, they are the dynamic duo that works together to support and protect your bones. This is why, for years, doctors have been recommending calcium and vitamin D supplements to postmenopausal women to help prevent osteoporosis.

But it’s not always easy to get enough vitamin D from food, so one of the best and most natural sources of vitamin D is sunlight. Just 10 to 15 minutes of early morning sun exposure on your skin can boost your vitamin D levels.

Food sources include:

• Mushrooms
• Fortified milk, cereals and orange juice

Also Read: Natural Sources of Vitamin D

3. Support With Ayurvedic Remedies

Ayurveda is the traditional Indian system of medicine that uses herbs to increase bone density naturally. Here are a few herbs that are known to support bone density and joint health.

• Harshringar Leaf- Helps relieve joint and muscle pain.
• Ashwagandha– Improves muscle mass and reduces inflammation.
• Pipla Mool- Helps strengthen bones.

Products like Krishna’s Sciatifix Juice, which combines these herbs with other natural ingredients, may help nourish your bones with calcium and antioxidants, improve joint flexibility, and reduce pain or stiffness. It works best when taken regularly, along with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

4. Include Strength Training And Weight-Bearing Exercises in Your Routine

Your bones need regular movement to stay strong, and engaging in specific types of exercise can help. Activities like weightlifting and strength training are best when it comes to exercises to maintain bone strength, limit bone mass loss and increase muscle and bone mass density.

Weight-bearing doesn’t mean lifting dumbbells only. It consists of any task that requires your body to work against gravity while you’re upright. These can be simple activities like walking, jogging, dancing, climbing stairs, or even playing tennis.

Strength training takes things a step further by using resistance (like body weight, resistance bands, or light dumbbells) to stimulate bone growth. Exercises like squats, lunges, and push-ups work great. Try to do two to three strength training sessions a week.

5. Consume a Protein-Packed Diet

Protein and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to increasing bone density naturally. We can’t emphasise enough the importance of protein for bone density. A large part of your bone structure is made of collagen, which is a type of protein. This collagen gives bones their flexibility and helps them handle stress or strain without breaking.

Ideally, one should consume around 1.2 to 1.5 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Some good sources of protein are dal, chickpeas, tofu, paneer, milk, curd or Greek yoghurt.

6. Get Enough Magnesium and Vitamin K

Like calcium, magnesium and vitamin K help support bone density. They help calcium reach where it’s needed and support your body in maintaining strong, healthy bones over time.

Magnesium activates vitamin D, and if levels are inadequate, your body will be unable to use calcium properly, even if you consume enough calcium through diet or supplements. Pumpkin seeds, almonds, spinach, dark chocolate, avocados, and healthy grains are all magnesium-rich foods.

Vitamin K, particularly K2, aids in the transport of calcium into the bones and prevents it from accumulating in inappropriate locations, such as the arteries. It also promotes bone mineralization. Leafy greens like kale, mustard leaves, and spinach, as well as fermented foods like curd or pickles, are excellent sources.

7. Maintain a Healthy Body Weight

How much you weigh also has a great impact on your bone health. Being underweight can increase your risk of developing bone disease, and being overweight can put extra pressure on your bones and joints, especially in the hips and knees. Both extremes are hard on your bones.

Doctors suggest not to lose weight too quickly or go through cycles of gaining and losing weight. When you lose weight, you can also lose bone density, but gaining the weight back won’t bring that bone strength back.

8. Eat Enough Calories

Your body needs the right amount of fuel to maintain bone health, and that includes consuming enough calories. If you are on a super low-calorie diet, your body may start breaking down bone tissue for fuel and lead to health issues like decreased bone density.

So, before you start being on a low-calorie diet to lose weight, make sure you get a plan made from a dietitian so you consume the right calories while being in a calorie deficit for weight loss.

9. Consume Foods High in Omega-3 Fats

Omega-3 fatty acids are famous supplements that support heart health, but they also help in maintaining bone density and overall bone health. These essential fats help reduce inflammation in the body, which is key because chronic inflammation can contribute to bone loss. They are also well known for protecting against bone loss during the ageing process.

Good options are flaxseeds, chia seeds, walnuts, and hemp seeds.

10. Avoid Smoking

You may think smoking is bad for your lungs and may link it with breathing issues, but it can also increase your risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures. To help maintain healthy bone density, it’s best to avoid or quit smoking.

11. Limit Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol consumption is also bad for your bones as it interferes with your body’s ability to absorb and use important nutrients like calcium. Excessive drinking lowers bone mineral density and affects the balance of calcium and magnesium in your bones.

To protect your bones, try to limit alcohol intake to a moderate level.