A decrease in bone density can have many causes, including diet, hormones, a vitamin D deficiency and a lack of physical activity. The clinical term for low bone density is osteopenia, the precursor to the more severe condition of osteoporosis. If left unaddressed, thin bones can be highly vulnerable to fracture and can contribute to joint instability. When bone density of the spine is diminished, it can contribute to neuromuscular pain, which can often be debilitating.
Diet and Bone Density
Bone density can be influenced by what you don't eat, as well as what you do. Since calcium plays an important role in forming strong bones, you should eat foods high in calcium such as dairy products, sardines and salmon canned with bones, and green vegetables such as broccoli and collard greens. However, you should be careful to cut back on foods that create an acidic metabolism. When your body is overly acidic, it is forced to leach calcium from your teeth and bones to restore a healthy pH balance. This will lead to an overall decrease in bone density. Foods that create an acidic environment include meat, fish, grains, legumes, nuts, diet and regular soda pop, and caffeine. Eat these foods in moderation, while increasing your consumption of fruits, vegetables and dairy products.
Hormones and Bone Density
Hormones play a critical role in determining bone density. Estrogen plays an important role in the formation and maintenance of bone mass in both males and females. Because female estrogen production decreases after menopause, estrogen deficiency is a primary cause of postmenopausal osteoporosis in women. When a young woman's estrogen production decreases due to anorexia, amenorrhea or other disruptions, bone density is also diminished. A decrease in estrogen due to overtraining, leading to amenorrhea, is known as the "female athlete triad" and may lead to bone fractures in young female athletes. Young females should avoid excessive dieting and overexercising to guard against estrogen depletion. Research has shown that women who develop a healthy bone mass early in life are less prone to osteoporosis after menopause.
Vitamin D and Bone Density
Vitamin D is manufactured in the human body in response to exposure to ultraviolet B radiation from exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D plays an important role in the synthesis of calcium, which influences bone density. In children, vitamin D deficiency can cause rickets, which is a deformation and stunting of bone growth. In adults, it can inhibit the development of healthy bone mass. Senior citizens in particular are vulnerable to low bone density due to low dietary calcium and lack of exposure to the sun. To increase vitamin D stores, moderate daily exposure to unfiltered sunlight is recommended. Fair-skinned people may accumulate adequate vitamin D stores with just a few minutes exposure of the arms and legs each day, while darker-skinned individuals may require up to 15 or 20 minutes. Vitamin D may also be ingested in supplement form.
Exercise and Bone Density
Because bone is living tissue, bones respond to exercise in the same way muscles do. When subjected to overload, as in weight-bearing exercise, bones and muscles become stronger and denser. Eating more protein alone will not increase muscle strength, and eating calcium and taking vitamin D supplements without weight-bearing exercise will not increase bone strength. To reverse low bone density, make moderately strenuous exercise a part of your daily routine.
