What’s Happening – Peak Bone Mass then Loss
Unfortunately, there is no middle-age plateau. Once peak bone mass and skeletal maturity is reached, a slow loss of bone begins. Adults continuously remodel their skeleton. Bone breaks down and builds up with a small deficit after each cycle.
Bone loss that begins in the 30s is predominantly in trabecular bone. Trabecular bone is the primary structure in the spine and the end of long bones of the arm and legs.
Bone Health Tips for Your 30s
Now that your peak bone is set, you need to minimize bone loss with a healthy lifestyle. Demands of not only yourself but now perhaps the addition of a family increases the complexity of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Time is in short supply to do the right things.
Bone healthy measures for your 30s include:
1. Calcium
- Recommended calcium intake is 1000 milligrams a day.
- Try to cover the recommended amount from food sources.
- If you fall short, do a menu makeover or use a dietary supplement.
2. Vitamin D
- Recommendations continue at 600 IU per day with no more than 4000 IU per day.
- Diet may not supply sufficient vitamin D in the fall, winter, and spring; a supplement to diet may be needed.
3. Diet
- Try to limit meals “on the go” that tend to be high in carbohydrates and scant on vegetables.
- Limit alcohol use and the extra calories.
- Caffeine-containing beverages are okay as long as you are meeting your recommended calcium intake.
4. Exercise
- Exercise regularly at least 30 minutes most days of the week.
- Spend more time on your feet beyond just your regular exercise time