Bone strength is determined by bone mass and structure.

Bone structure is equally important as bone density

When it comes to strengthening our bones, bone structure is as important as bone density (bone mass per unit area). A deterioration in bone structure increases the risk of fractures even if the bone density has not decreased significantly.

The protein known as collagen is believed to have an important role to bone structure.

If we think of the bone as a building, collagen fibers, which are bundles of collagen, act as the steel frame. Surrounding these frames are calcium and other minerals, which act as the concrete.

Strong bones requires even adhesion of minerals around the collagen. This, in turn, requires the collagen to be aligned evenly. However, changes in collagen mass and structure can result in uneven alignments, which make the even adhesion of minerals difficult. In other words, sufficient amount of calcium and other minerals cannot help build strong bones if the quality of the collagen is poor.

Collagen amount peaks in a person’s 30s or 40s, and then decreases with age. Also, deficiencies with nutrients such as vitamin K, vitamin D, or folic acid can also lead to a decline in bone mass or the deterioration of bone structure. This is why proactive intake of these nutrients is highly recommended.

The negative impact of activated oxygen

Also highly linked to the declines in bone mass is activated oxygen. Although activated oxygen is said to cause aging, as our body has functions for removing activated oxygen, there is no impact on our health if we maintain a good balance between generation and removal.

However, when activated oxygen is increasing faster than our body can remove, it can damage cells and cause a condition known as oxidative stress. Oxidative stress not only causes aging, but it is also linked to various lifestyle diseases. It also causes collagen deterioration, which can have a negative impact on bone metabolism, thus causing reduction of bone mass and increased risk of bone fractures. The keys to preventing oxidative stress are a nutritionally balanced diet, appropriate exercising, and to stop smoking.

Preventing declines in bone mass and structure

For example, choosing red meat over fatty meats can help reduce calories and increase your intake of protein, which helps build muscle. This helps maintain a body that is less likely to fall. If you need more volume, adding dairy products like milk and cheese can increase satisfaction together with calcium. Some people worry that consuming milk may negatively affect the blood cholesterol level, but drinking one cup (200ml) a day will have no significant impact.

Exercise not only increases bone mass by placing loads to bones, it also helps reduce triglycerides, increase your HDL cholesterol level, and improve blood sugar and blood pressure levels. Specifically, we should aim for roughly 30 minutes of walking per day.

Smoking tobacco not only causes oxidative stress, it also inhibits estrogen excretion, which can lead to declines in bone mass and bone structure. We recommend smokers to quit smoking to improving their bone health.