How Can I Keep My Bones Strong?

A doctor’s advice on how to keep your bones healthy and prevent fractures and osteoporosis as you age

Adam Rosenbluth, M.D.,

AARP

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Published September 02, 2025

James Yates

What can I do to keep my bones strong as I get older?

The health issue I worry about most with my older patients isn’t cancer, a heart attack or even a stroke — it’s a fall and a fracture. For too many people, this event is a downward turning point in the quality of their lives.

Ever since my 91-year-old mom broke her wrist last year, there’s been a negative change in her everyday experiences. She struggles now with many ordinary tasks like washing dishes, showering and even using a key. I’m sharing this with you so that you’ll understand how profoundly important it is to keep our bones strong and resistant to fracture.

Bones provide the architecture that not only protects our organs but also stores calcium and anchors our muscles, which work in tandem to enable movement. The downside is that as we get older, practically everyone loses muscle and bone mass. This is true for women more than men, especially after menopause. It’s estimated that 27 percent of women over the age of 65 have osteoporosis, a disease that makes bones weak, brittle and susceptible to breaking.

It doesn’t have to be this way. The more bone and muscle you build, the less chance you’ll suffer from osteoporosis.

So, what can you do?

First, you want to maintain a healthy level of vitamin D. This vitamin helps your body absorb calcium, which is a crucial mineral for bone strength.

Your doctor can give you a blood test that measures your vitamin D level. If it’s low, you can either take a daily D supplement of no more than 800 international units (IUs) or eat more D-rich foods such as fatty fish, egg yolks, milk and foods fortified with D, as in some cereals and orange juice.

Sunlight is also a great source, even when you wear sunscreen. Eight to 10 minutes of sun exposure at noon can do the trick.

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Also try to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods such as green leafy vegetables, dairy, canned sardines and salmon to reach the recommended 1,200 mg of calcium a day.

Pay attention to protein, too, since our muscles are mostly made of it, and weak muscles increase the risk of falls. Foods that can protect muscles include poultry, fish, lean meats, lentils, beans, soy products, nuts and seeds.

If you’re a smoker, it’s a good idea to quit. Smoking is bad for your bones because it shrinks and tightens your blood vessels, which leads to decreased bone health. Too much alcohol is not good, either.

Exercise, on the other hand, is crucial. The best exercises for building bone strength are weight-bearing. Pumping iron is terrific, but you don’t need to go to a gym. You can lift light or medium weights, or use those stretchy rubber bands at home, go for walks, do yoga or tai chi, play pickleball or tennis or climb stairs. The key is to regularly do these weight-bearing exercises. Get started with these 5 Ways to Exercise Your Bones.

More from Dr. Adam

The Centers for Disease Control recommends at least 2½ hours of exercise a week for adults over 65 years. It’s a good idea to speak with your health care provider before beginning a new exercise routine.

While you’re talking to your doctor, ask about medications. Some drugs prescribed for common health problems such as heartburn, depression, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma can affect your bones. There are also prescription medications that treat osteoporosis and sometimes osteopenia, low bone density that’s not yet osteoporosis.

You can find out if your bones are in good shape with a bone density test, also known as a DEXA scan. I strongly recommend this test, but that said, I do have a few patients who prefer not to take it. If they’re doing everything possible to support their bones and don’t want to take prescription medication to slow bone breakdown, I don’t dwell on the scan.

Staying strong is about building a lifestyle that supports your bones with the right mix of movement, meals, mindfulness and, in some instances, supplements and medication. With the right routine, you can keep your skeleton sturdy for years. Make your bones about it.