Talk to your doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or other health care professional if you have answered yes to any of these questions.
What can you do to maintain or improve your bone health?
Get enough calcium and Vitamin D in your diet at every age.
If this is your age then you need this much calcium each day(mg)
0-6months 210 mg
6-12months 270 mg
1-3 years 500 mg
4-8 years 800 mg
9-18 years 1,300 mg
18-50 years 1,000 mg
Over 50 years 1,200 mg
If this is your age then you need this much Vitamin D
IU (International Units)
Up to age 50 200 IU
51-70 years 400 IU
Over age 70 600 IU
(Read nutrition facts on labels to know how much you are getting every day)
Be physically active to help keep bones strong. Children need 60 minutes and adults need 30 minutes of weight-bearing physical activity, such as walking jumping, or jogging, every day.
Reduce the hazards in your home that could increase your risk of falling and breaking your bones.
Talk with your doctor about the medicines you are taking that could weaken bones, like medicine for thyroid problems or arthritis. Also talk about ways to take medicines that are safe for bones. Discuss ways to protect bones while treating other problems.
Maintain a healthy weight. Being underweight raises your risk of fracture and bone loss
Don’t smoke. Smoking can reduce bone mass and increase your risk of fracture.
Limit your alcohol use. Heavy alcohol use reduces your bone mass and increases your risk for a broken bone.
Talk with your doctor about the medicines you are taking that may weaken bones.
(Source: U. S. Department of Health and Human Services. Bone Health and Osteoporosis: A Report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Surgeon General 2004).
