10 Critical Factors that Might Affect Bone Health in Women

Bones support body function in a number of ways --protect other body organs, store calcium for other body functions, provide support to muscles, and help in providing structural support. Therefore, bone health is vital for improving the quality of life. 

While one of the critical factors that affect bone health are genetic factors, there are various other external factors that are responsible for improvement or deterioration in bone health. A number of environmental factors, menstrual irregularities, medication, diet & exercise are some of these external factors affecting bone health directly or indirectly. 

When you are kind, breaking a bone is not a big deal -- it takes only a few weeks and you are all healed up. But, as you age, the strength of your bones gets deteriorated and they do not heal as easily as they used to when you were a kid. And, a small injury can lead to a broken hip or arm. Some people may fall prey to osteoporosis as they age, as the bone density decreases. 

Women are more likely to suffer osteoporosis or decreased bone density. Not only women have smaller skeletons, but the bone density is also affected in women as they progress towards different stages in life -- pregnancy, breastfeeding & menopause. In addition to that, the type of lifestyle, dietary habits, medications & exercise habits -- will also affect bone health in women. 

Some bone loss is pretty normal, but when it’s happening too much -- it can lead to making your bones porous & weak increasing the chances of osteoporosis & fracture. There are a number of factors that may affect bone health in women. In this article, we’ll discuss in detail these factors that might affect bone health in women. Here we go:

1. Dietary Habits

One of the major reasons for most illness & health deterioration is unhealthy dietary habits. If you are not eating a healthy diet, it might cause you to lose bone density more easily and faster. A healthy diet and a healthy weight will reduce the risk of bone-related disorders. 

While calcium as most of us know is important for bone health -- there are other nutrients including protein, zinc & magnesium that are important for your bone health. Dairy products are undoubtedly one of the most reliable sources of calcium -- food like nuts, tinned fish, leafy green veggies, and baked beans are pretty rich in calcium. If you are 50 or younger, you need 1000 mg of calcium every day, and people age 51 & over must consume 1200 mg of calcium every day. 

For protein and the amino acids that come with it, you must add meat, dairy products, nuts, lentils, fish, and beans. For vitamin K & magnesium, add spinach & more leafy greens to your diet. Eat more legumes, whole grain cereals, pulses, and lean red meat for zinc that help in the renewal of bone tissues. 

2. Maintain an optimum level of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is helpful for improved bone health as it helps in the absorption of calcium. Sun exposure is the ultimate way of getting your daily dose of vitamin D. It is essential that you are exposing your body often to the sun -- for maintaining adequate levels of vitamin D. Devise a way to get your daily dose of sunlight every day -- walk to the vegetable market or to the bus stop deliberately. You can use sunscreen or avoid the peak time to be safe from the harmful UV rays. Using these sun-safe techniques including sunscreen will not create any hindrance to vitamin D production. 

3. Thyroid problems

Women with thyroid problems are also vulnerable to bone decay. High amounts of thyroid hormone may result in decreased bone strength and decreased bone density. This may in turn lead to the condition called osteoporosis. In addition to that, some medications including Eutroxsig and Oroxine that are used to treat thyroid problems may also lead to osteoporosis & decreased bone density. If anything related to your bone is bothering you too much & too often talk to a health expert and find out the cure. 

4. Aging

Aging is one of the most common issues when it comes to bone health. As you age, bone loss starts taking place and you only have the option to maintain bone health -- there isn’t any new growth for your bones. Most of the bone growth will take place while you are a teenager or child. The bone growth & strengthening will stop when you enter your twenties and when you enter in your 30s, you can only maintain your bone density. But, there is no defined age to maintain your bone health. You can get your body involved in different types of exercises to control this decline in bone health. Eat healthy food, exercise, get the proper dose of vitamins and your bones will remain strong until you die. 

5. Pregnancy and breastfeeding

A baby when it's still being mother fed needs a lot of calcium for bone formation. In fact, when the mother does not get enough calcium required, the baby will draw the amount of calcium from its mother’s bones. But, there are chemical reactions taking place in the body during that time to take care of your bones. Breastfeeding can way more easily absorb calcium from food than that of any other woman who is not breastfeeding or pregnant. The production of oestrogen (which helps in keeping your bones strong) in women that are pregnant is more. And, any kind of bone health deterioration that takes place during pregnancy or breastfeeding will be restored when the baby is delivered. 

Other factors that may affect bone health in women:

6. Puberty

7. Menopause

8. Lack of Physical activity

9. Smoking and alcohol

10. Medication and treatments

Takeaways

There is an assortment of factors that may cause bone loss including aging, lack of physical activities, puberty, medications, smoking, alcohol, menopause, and more. But if you are well informed and are taking care of everything that may cause bone loss, your bones will remain sturdy and strong as long as you live. Increase calcium intake, keep a check on your vitamin D levels, include plenty of physical activities in your diet -- and there is nothing that will deteriorate your bone health. You must also take care that you are not smoking or drinking alcohol too much. Turn to certain weight-bearing exercises like climbing stairs, walking, jogging & more.