Bones

Bone density, osteoporosis and strong bones in later life.

59 answers, from 389 studies

Last updated: July 2026

Key questions

Which form of vitamin K2 is better: MK-4 or MK-7?

MK-7 has clearly better absorption than MK-4 at normal supplementation doses, and also activates proteins for bone and blood…

Moderate evidence

How much vitamin D should you take per day?

For healthy adults under 75, extra vitamin D is probably not necessary, but for children, people aged 75 and older, pregnant…

Moderate evidence

Should you take vitamin D together with vitamin K2?

Vitamin K2 has its own effect on bones, but the combination with vitamin D is not demonstrably better than K2 alone. For the…

Preliminary evidence

Do you really need calcium supplements for strong bones?

Whether you need calcium supplements depends strongly on your age and circumstances: for young, healthy women there is no…

Moderate evidence

Why do bones break more easily as you get older?

Bones become more brittle over the years because bone breakdown outpaces formation, hormonal changes (oestrogen) accelerate…

Does strength training help against osteoporosis?

Strength training demonstrably helps against osteoporosis: it increases bone density by one to three percent and also reduces…

Yes · Strong evidence

Can you still build bone mass after fifty?

Forming new bone after fifty is only possible to a limited extent, but slowing or stopping bone loss is very achievable with…

Yes · Moderate evidence

How deadly is a hip fracture for life expectancy?

A hip fracture strongly increases the risk of dying for many years, especially in older men and people with other illnesses.…

Does physiotherapy really help if you already have osteoporosis?

Supervised exercise genuinely helps if you have osteoporosis: it slows bone loss, improves your balance and muscle strength,…

Yes · Strong evidence

Can a vitamin D deficiency affect your hormones?

A vitamin D deficiency disrupts hormone levels, primarily through a rise in parathyroid hormone PTH, which affects your bones,…

What does your balance have to do with preventing bone fractures?

Good balance and muscle strength reduce the risk of falling, and fewer falls mean fewer bone fractures. Supervised balance and…

Are there dietary patterns that have been proven to reduce bone fractures?

Fermented dairy, sufficient vegetables and fruit, and a varied diet with protein and calcium are best supported for bone…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Do people with darker skin have a greater risk of osteoporosis?

People with darker skin produce less vitamin D through sunlight, which more frequently leads to a deficiency and thus to a…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Can zinc contribute to stronger bones?

Zinc likely plays a genuine role in bone health, but whether supplementation offers any benefit in people without a deficiency…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Does a vegetarian diet weaken your bones?

Vegetarians, and vegans in particular, have on average lower bone density and a higher risk of fractures. That risk is not…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Does vibration plate training really help against bone loss?

Vibration plate training helps against bone loss, particularly in the lower back and partly in the hip, but regular strength…

Yes · Strong evidence

How quickly do you lose bone mass when you stop exercising?

A precise timeline for bone loss after stopping exercise is not established by this research. What you can do: strength…

What does using steroids (as in sports) do to your bones?

The effect of steroid misuse in sport on your bones has barely been studied at the high doses used in practice. The side…

Does diabetes increase the risk of bone fractures?

Diabetes clearly and demonstrably increases the risk of bone fractures, even when bone density appears normal. If you have…

What do thyroid problems have to do with osteoporosis?

Both an overactive and an underactive thyroid increase the risk of osteoporosis. If you have a thyroid condition, it is wise…

Do gut problems play a role in poor bone formation?

A disrupted gut microbiome can contribute to poor bone formation through inflammation, reduced calcium absorption and…

Can eating disorders such as anorexia cause permanent bone damage?

Anorexia causes permanent bone damage in the majority of cases, particularly when the condition begins during adolescence.…

Is soy good or bad for your bones after menopause?

Soy isoflavones probably do not protect the bones of postmenopausal Western women in any clinically meaningful way. It is…

No · Moderate evidence

Do men need estrogen for their health?

Yes, men need oestrogen for strong bones, healthy blood vessels, and fertility. Both a deficiency and an excess are harmful,…

Does drinking a lot of coffee increase the risk of bone fractures?

For most people, coffee does not appear to be a proven cause of bone fractures, but for women who drink a lot of coffee some…

Moderate evidence

Does omega-3 (fish oil) have an effect on bone strength?

Omega-3 does not appear to improve bone density in older adults; for bone preservation, it is better to focus on adequate…

No · Moderate evidence

Does boron as a supplement do anything for your bones?

Boron appears useful if you are not getting enough of it, but there is no good evidence that extra supplementation makes your…

Preliminary evidence

What does sunlight do for your bones, apart from producing vitamin D?

According to the available studies, sunlight has no demonstrable direct effect on your bones beyond the production of vitamin…

Is there a link between sleep deprivation and bone loss?

There is serious evidence to suggest that sleep deprivation and poor sleep quality go hand in hand with bone loss, especially…

Can having too little body fat damage your bones?

Too little fat can damage your bones, but muscle mass and the location of fat matter at least as much. If you have concerns…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Does being overweight affect your bone density?

Being overweight does not straightforwardly increase bone density, and the location and amount of fat strongly determine…

Do carbonated drinks damage your bones?

Drinking large amounts of sugary soft drinks is associated with lower bone density, but this effect is likely partly due to…

Moderate evidence

Does broth or bone broth actually do anything for your bones?

In rat research, bone broth did help against bone loss, but this has never been demonstrated in humans. It is too early to…

Insufficient evidence

What does magnesium do for your bone strength?

Getting enough magnesium through diet is clearly associated with stronger bones and a lower fracture risk, although large…

Is eating plant-based bad for your bones?

A strict vegan diet without supplementation increases the risk of weaker bones and fractures. With sufficient calcium, vitamin…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Does taking cortisone for a long time weaken your bones?

Taking corticosteroids in tablet or injection form for a prolonged period clearly damages the bones, but your doctor can…

Can statins (cholesterol-lowering medications) affect your bones?

The available study contains no data on bones, so no answer can be given on the basis of this material. If you have concerns…

Insufficient evidence

What happens to your bones when you lie in bed for a long time?

Prolonged bed rest demonstrably leads to substantial bone loss, particularly in the hip, spine and heel bone. Recovery takes…

Why do older adults break their hip so easily?

Older adults break their hip more easily due to the combination of more fragile bones (osteoporosis), more frequent falls, and…

Is walking enough to slow down bone loss?

Walking helps a little with mild bone loss, but is probably not enough if you genuinely want to build or preserve bone density…

Moderate evidence

Does running protect your bones better than swimming?

Running clearly stimulates bone formation better than activities without impact loading, but a direct comparison with swimming…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Does drinking a lot of alcohol weaken your bones?

Drinking heavily (three or more glasses per day) demonstrably weakens your bones and substantially increases the risk of a hip…

How much does smoking affect your bone density?

Smoking demonstrably damages your bone density and substantially raises your risk of a hip fracture; quitting helps, although…

Can adults still build bone mass, or only maintain it?

As an adult you can still increase your bone mass slightly, primarily through heavy strength training combined with…

Yes · Moderate evidence

What do bone-loss medications (bisphosphonates) do, and are they safe?

Bisphosphonates effectively inhibit bone breakdown and reduce the risk of fractures in osteoporosis. The rare side effect of…

Yes · Strong evidence

Do men get osteoporosis too?

Men certainly get osteoporosis, and after a first fracture they are at even greater risk of a subsequent fracture or death…

How much calcium do I need per day, and can too much be harmful?

Calcium requirements range from 800 mg (young children) to 1500 mg per day (older adults, teenagers, postmenopausal women). Up…

Yes · Strong evidence

Is collagen powder worth it for your joints?

For people with knee osteoarthritis or joint pain during exercise, there is reasonable support that collagen (hydrolysed, 10…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Does too little protein increase your risk of bone fractures as you age?

Yes, too little protein increases your risk of bone fractures in older age. This works through weaker bones as well as through…

Yes · Moderate evidence

How do I know if I am at risk of osteoporosis?

The risk factors for osteoporosis are well supported. If you recognise several of them in yourself, talking to your doctor and…

Moderate evidence

Which type of training has the best-proven track record against bone loss in later life?

High-intensity resistance training (at least 70-85% of maximum load, two to three times per week, for at least eight to twelve…

Strong evidence

Do calcium and vitamin D supplements really help against bone loss?

Calcium and vitamin D together can improve bone density and modestly lower the risk of hip fractures when a genuine deficiency…

Moderate evidence

How do I know whether my bones are strong enough (osteoporosis)?

Have your bone density measured with a DXA scan if you have risk factors, because osteoporosis produces no symptoms of its own…

How healthy are yoghurt and dairy for your heart and bones?

Moderate dairy consumption fits well within a heart- and bone-friendly diet, with yoghurt as the best choice. As long as your…

How do I keep my bones strong after menopause?

Strong bones after menopause are achievable with weight-bearing exercise, adequate calcium and vitamin D, and where necessary…

Moderate evidence

Does glucosamine help with joint complaints?

Glucosamine sulfate (1500 mg per day) may produce a modest reduction in pain in knee osteoarthritis after twelve months, but…

Moderate evidence

Does vitamin K2 help your bones and blood vessels?

Vitamin K2 probably helps with bone building in postmenopausal women, but for blood vessels and fracture risk the evidence is…

Yes · Moderate evidence

Stronger bones and strength training -- does it help?

Strength training is a well-supported way to maintain or improve bone density, with the greatest effect from 2 to 3 supervised…

Yes · Strong evidence

Does vitamin D prevent me from breaking bones?

Vitamin D alone does not demonstrably reduce the risk of bone fractures. Combined with calcium it does help, especially in…

Moderate evidence

Bones

Stay in the loop