The Guide to the Best Supplements and Foods for Bone Health†

TL;DR: Strong bones need more than just calcium! Many nutrients—like vitamin D3, magnesium, and vitamin K2—help keep bones strong and healthy. Eating a balanced diet with foods rich in these nutrients, staying active, and avoiding habits like smoking or too much caffeine can support bone health. Supplements can help fill the gaps, especially for nutrients that are hard to get from food alone. Taking care of your bones now can help keep them strong for life!^†

What Affects Bone Health?

Many things impact how healthy your bones are. While you cannot control some of them, you can significantly impact others.

Genetics

Your genes can influence many factors relating to bone health. If you have a family history of brittle bones, you have a higher risk of developing the same problem.(1)

Hormone changes can dramatically influence how the body builds, breaks down, and rebuilds bones. The estrogen drop associated with perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause has a strong association with reduced bone mass.

However, even if you aren’t experiencing menopausal hormone changes, you can still experience low bone density. Men who have prostate conditions and take medications to lower testosterone levels may be at risk for accelerated bone loss.(2)

Diet & Nutrition

The food that you eat plays a major role in healthy bone stores. Calcium is a well-known nutrient that is necessary for building bones, but many other aspects of a healthy diet and digestion affect postmenopausal women and people of all ages.^†

Even if you eat a healthy diet, if digestion is not functioning optimally, your body may not be able to break down your food. This may decrease your ability to absorb and use all of those necessary vitamins and minerals. Gastrointestinal conditions represent major risk factors for bone health problems. (3)

Aging

Plenty of research indicates that bone health peaks before age 30.(4) As you age, it’s harder to replace bone at the same rate that it is lost. This is partially due to age-related factors in both men and women that naturally decrease calcium absorption in the gut and a general overall gradual decline in bone density and nutrient absorption.(5,6)

6 Important Nutrients for Bone Health

While calcium is the most abundant mineral in the body, it is not the only one that is vital for healthy bones.^†(5)

The following nutrients all play a crucial role in supporting healthy bone density and skeletal strength.

Calcium

While calcium gets frequent mention when it comes to bone health, calcium alone is not enough to maintain a healthy skeleton without the support of other minerals.

Still, you need adequate intake of calcium.^† Calcium deficiency is linked to: (7,8)

Reduce bone strength
Fragile bones that may break easily
Weaker bone tissues and surrounding structures
Increased risk of falling

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) notes that the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for calcium in adults ranges between 1,000-1,200 mg per day, depending on age. (5)

Obtaining most calcium from foods is possible even if you follow a dairy-free diet. While calcium is necessary for healthy bones, over-supplementing can have risks of its own, such as(5)

Poor muscle tone
Kidney issues
Constipation
Nausea
Weight loss
Fatigue
Heart rhythm issues and other cardiovascular problems
Prostate problems

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is a fat-soluble nutrient that has hormone-like properties. It works closely with calcium to support bone health and many other aspects of wellness. Vitamin D3 specifically plays an important role in helping your body utilize dietary calcium by supporting improved absorption. Without enough vitamin D, your body may pull more calcium from bone stores.^† (9)

Vitamin D deficiency occurs in around 6 percent of adults in the U.S., while suboptimal levels may be present in almost 25 percent of the population. (10)

It’s challenging to get enough vitamin D from food alone. Vitamin D supplements represent an evidence-based way to support healthy levels, but there is no standardized level for everyone. Healthcare providers usually recommend vitamin D supplements based on blood testing and other health factors.^† (11)

Magnesium

Magnesium is an important mineral for more than 300 enzyme reactions in the body. It also supports bone mineral density, with around 50-60 percent of the body’s magnesium stores being held in the bones.^† (12)

Yet as many as 48 percent of adults do not consume enough magnesium on a regular basis, which can impact overall bone health and lead to an increased risk of bone fractures. (12,13)

Potassium

Potassium is a mineral that functions as an electrolyte. It also supports calcium metabolism and supports the maintenance of healthy calcium levels in the body. (14) When potassium intake is low, it can lead to increased bone turnover, which can worsen density problems.^† (15)

Boron

A trace mineral that is only needed in tiny amounts, boron is required for proper bone growth and maintaining healthy bone mineral density. (16) Boron also supports the function of vitamin D in the body.^† (17)

Vitamin K2

Vitamin K2 is a fat-soluble nutrient that is differentiated in function from vitamin K1. Vitamin K2 is also known as menaquinones, and the three most common are MK-4, MK-7, and MK-9. (18)

Research has tied adequate levels of Vitamin K2 to healthy bone-building processes. (19) Many bone health supplements now include vitamin K2 along with other bone-friendly nutrients like vitamin D. However, if you take medications to thin the blood or have a history of blood clots, a healthcare provider needs to determine whether you can supplement with vitamin K, since it also impacts coagulation.^† (18)

6 Important Nutrients for Bone Health

Best Foods for Bone Strength

With so many nutrients that impact bone health, your dietary intake can play a major role in maintaining optimal skeletal health. While everyone has unique factors that influence foods that work for them, the following foods support good bone strength.

Food sources of calcium: Milk, cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, other dairy products, fortified orange juice, sardines, spinach
Food sources of vitamin D: Salmon, mackerel, tuna, cod liver oil, trout, mushrooms
Food sources of magnesium: Brown rice, seeds, nuts, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, tomatoes, potatoes, raisins, beans, peas
Food sources of potassium: Apricots, lentils, squash, prunes, raisins, baked potatoes, bananas
Food sources of boron: Prune juice, avocado, raisins, peaches, apples, pears, beans
Food sources of vitamin K2: Natto, sauerkraut, other fermented foods, butter, liver, egg yolks, poultry, pork, beef, salmon

You can also support bone health by eating foods that support overall digestive function. Fiber is necessary not only for helping promote normal digestive transit time, but can also nourish the beneficial bacteria in the gut microbiome.

Foods that you don’t eat can also protect bone health. If you want to support healthy bone density, limit or avoid the following: (20,21)

Alcohol
Caffeine
Black tea
Soft drinks

Foods that cause digestive problems or worsen existing health conditions may also directly or indirectly affect healthy bone density.

Lifestyle Support for Strong Bones

Your lifestyle choices can also have a direct role in promoting healthy bones: (22,23,24,25)

Avoid tobacco use and cigarette smoking
Get regular physical activity, such as walking or other light aerobic activities
Incorporate some weight-bearing exercises that utilize resistance
Practice stretching, flexibility, and balance training like yoga or Tai Chi
Maintain a healthy body weight for you

Best Supplements for Bone Health^†

Even with a healthy diet and lifestyle, you may benefit from supplements that support bone health. However, supplements alone will not compensate for inadequate dietary intake or lifestyle factors.^†

Bone health supplements can include:^†

Multivitamin & Multimineral	Optimal Multivitamin, Optimal Prenatal, Optimal Man, and many other multinutrient formulations can support overall wellness by supplementing what you get from your dietary intake.†
Vitamin D3	Since vitamin D is not easy to acquire from food sources, many healthcare providers recommend a vitamin D3 supplement. Vitamin D3 Drops and Vitamin D3+K2 can support healthy bone strength and bone density.†
Magnesium	Whether you prefer Optimal Magnesium capsules or Magnesium Malate Chewable, this important nutrient can help to support bone health along with a healthy dietary and lifestyle plan.†
Trace Minerals	Boron and potassium are two nutrients in Trace Minerals Complex, which can support overall healthy cell function.†
Digestive Support	You are only as healthy as the foods and nutrients your body can break down, absorb, and utilize in the body. Whether you are eating foods or taking supplements, that process starts with healthy digestion. Digestive Enzymes can support your body’s ability to break down foods.†

The Bottom Line

Bone health is important at all stages of life. Having strong bones is something people may take for granted because symptoms don't usually appear until bone loss is advanced. Dietary and lifestyle support are both essential in supporting bone health at any age or stage of life.

The Guide to the Best Supplements and Foods for Bone Health†

Table of Contents

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Unlocking the Power of Vitamin D: Supporting Bone Health Naturally†

Nutritional Epigenetics: Are You What You Eat?