Bones help protect organs and give stability to muscles. Vitamins and minerals are essential to provide strength to the bones and allow them to grow properly. When people do not receive enough vitamins or minerals to support healthy bones, osteoporosis can occur. Osteoporosis is a disease in which the bones become weak and are easily broken. The National Osteoporosis Foundation estimates that 10 million American have osteoporosis.
Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin that found in fats and oils. Fat-soluble vitamins require bile to break them down so that they can be absorbed into the body. Vitamin A has many roles, including bone and tooth growth. Sizer and Whitney write that as children grow, their bones are "remodeled" into bigger bones. Vitamin A helps dismantle the old bones so that new bones can grow. When children fail to grow properly, it can mean that they are not receiving enough vitamin A. However, excessive intake of vitamin A can actually cause bone deterioration in adults. The best sources of vitamin A are carrots, fortified milk, sweet potatoes, spinach and liver.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is produced by exposure to the sun; it can also be found in fortified milk, salmon and shrimp. Vitamin D is part of a group of nutrients and hormones that help regulate the blood calcium and phosphorus levels that help maintain bone strength. Vitamin D also signals when the body needs to draw calcium from the skeletal system, kidneys and digestive tract. When children do not receive enough vitamin D, they can develop rickets. Rickets occurs when the bones grow abnormally; it results in bowed legs, knock knees, an outward-bowed chest and knobs on the ribs. Teenagers who do not receive enough vitamin D can fail to develop a bone density that will prevent bone loss later in life. An adult form of rickets called osteomalacia can also occur, especially in women who do not receive enough vitamin D.
Vitamin K
Vitamin K helps ensure bone density and overall bone health. Sizer and Whitney write that people who consume large amounts of vitamin K have fewer hip fractures than people who do not. Vitamin K can be found in dark green, leafy vegetables such as spinach and collard greens. Cauliflower, cabbage, lettuce and soybeans also contain vitamin K. People in the United States are unlikely to be deficient in vitamin K.
References
- National Osteoporosis Foundation: Why Bone Health Is Important
- "Nutrition Concepts and Controversies 10th Edition"; Frances Sizer and Ellie Whitney 2006.
