Nutrients to support bone health: calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and vitamin K

A woman’s calcium needs increase with age due to hormonal changes during menopause that can affect bone health. And it can be challenging to acquire the needed calcium through diet alone, particularly if dairy products are avoided. Although there are non-dairy dietary sources of calcium, such as green leafy vegetables and small fish like sardines and canned salmon (where you eat the bones), you might need to supplement your diet with a well-absorbed form of calcium, such as calcium citrate or calcium malate.

Although calcium is typically the poster child for bone health and certainly plays an important role, research suggests its benefits are magnified when paired with other nutrients. For example, vitamin D facilitates calcium’s absorption into the body. Because calcium needs increase, if you are peri- or postmenopausal, your body will need additional vitamin D to help utilize the increased amount of calcium.

The problem – and this is not just for menopausal women – is that vitamin D can also be hard to come by in the diet. Foods that naturally contain adequate amounts of vitamin D include fatty fish, beef liver, eggs, certain mushrooms, and cheese. Although you can get plenty of vitamin D from the sun during certain times of the year and under the right conditions, the ability to synthesize vitamin D in your skin from sun exposure decreases as you age – by as much as 75 percent.

Remember, vitamin D is not just for bone health. An optimal vitamin D level is essential for overall health, including immune function, a healthy inflammatory response, and muscle function. We all need optimal vitamin D levels now more than ever!

But calcium and vitamin D are just part of the bone support story. Magnesium ensures your body will make the most of both calcium and vitamin D. In a report in The Journal of the American Osteopathic Association; a study found that vitamin D isn’t metabolized efficiently without an adequate level of magnesium. So, in addition to calcium and vitamin D, perimenopausal and postmenopausal women should incorporate more magnesium either in their diet or through a nutritional supplement. I LOVE magnesium for so many beautiful things it does for us, including strengthening dem bones.

And don’t forget vitamin K – a bone support nutrient often talked about less than calcium or vitamin D but is just as important – especially for perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. Like magnesium, vitamin K helps direct calcium to the bones and out of the soft tissues. Studies also indicate that vitamin D3 works better with vitamin K2.

Good dietary sources of vitamin K include green leafy vegetables, butter, meat, eggs, cheese, and fermented vegetables and beans like sauerkraut, miso, and natto.