Nutrition For Bones, Joints And Muscles

Active, aging and injured people can maintain or restore mobility with the help of nutrition targeted to better bone, joint and muscle health. Your musculoskeletal system needs nutrients that support cellular growth and tissue strength and flexibility. To build and preserve healthy bone, muscle, and connective tissue, make sure you're getting the recommended amounts of protein, calcium, potassium and vitamin C. Keeping your weight under control with low-fat diet food sources also reduces your risk for developing joint problems and restricted mobility.

Protein Needs

Protein facilitates new muscle, joint and bone cellular growth and self-repair to injured tissue. It also assists in the formation of red blood cells, which deliver oxygen to working muscles. The strength that accompanies adequate bone and muscle mass depends on sufficient protein from foods such as fish, meats, poultry and beans in your diet. Eggs, nuts, tofu and soy-based veggie burgers provide more moderate protein options for achieving the daily 50 g of protein recommended by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for average 2,000-calorie diets.

Calcium Requirements

Calcium is essential to bone growth and remodeling, in which old cells are replaced with new ones. This mineral also enables muscle contraction, which lets you move and create force for lifting, holding and pushing things. Your body needs some vitamin D in order to absorb dietary calcium. Get your daily 1,000 mg of calcium from milk, yogurt and cheese and 400 international units of vitamin D from saltwater fish and fortified milk.

Potassium Recommendations

Potassium helps you form muscle mass and promotes optimum coordination and function of muscles. Many American diets don't contain enough potassium, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Build your daily potassium totals toward an average 3,500 mg by eating plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, fish and low-fat meats and dairy products.

Vitamin C Benefits

Vitamin C helps your body make collagen, an important component of muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilaginous joints. This essential vitamin is also needed to form scar tissue to heal torn muscle and connective tissue. Fruits such as oranges and strawberries have large amounts of vitamin C, as do vegetables such as broccoli, peppers and potatoes. You should strive for daily totals of 60 mg of vitamin C.