There’s no question that human beings are living much longer than we used to: Between 1900 and 2021, life expectancy more than doubled, going from 32 to 71 years. For women, life is typically even longer: On average, women outlive men by more than five years. But the quality of these later years can vary greatly, depending on how healthy you are. “Women live longer, but they don’t necessarily live better,” says Krys Araujo-Torres, MD, head of US Medical Affairs for Nature’s Bounty, Osteo Bi-Flex, and BOOST. Plenty of factors affect how well we age, but one that’s often overlooked — and crucial for women — is bone health.
Women experience a rapid dropoff in bone density during menopause, making their bones much more fragile with age. Since there are few things more disruptive for older adults than breaking or fracturing a bone, Katie asked Dr. Araujo-Torres how women can promote their bone health during menopause and beyond.
Strong bones require proper nutrition, and Dr. Araujo-Torres says the nutrients you need to maintain bone health change over time: “As you age, you need fewer calories, but that doesn’t mean you need fewer nutrients,” she explains. “In some cases, your nutritional needs go up — for example, after age 50, women should increase their daily calcium intake from 1000 to 1200 milligrams per day, and then up their vitamin D intake to help absorb that added calcium.” And even though you may not need to eat as much as you age, that doesn’t mean you can cut back on your H2O: Older adults may not drink enough water because they don’t feel as thirsty, but staying hydrated is essential to helping your body absorb the nutrients required to maintain healthy bones.
It’s not just our bones that need a boost as we get older — muscle tone also decreases in our golden years. But adding weight-bearing exercise kills two birds with one stone, says Dr. Araujo-Torres, because it improves the health of both systems: “Muscle and bone health are intertwined, and building and maintaining muscle mass can also promote stronger, denser bones.” To that end, Dr. Araujo-Torres recommends strength-training that incorporates all of your large muscle groups, at least twice a week. She also recommends a minimum of 75 minutes of rigorous cardio or 150 of moderate cardio per week, as well as incorporating activities that improve balance.
Even if menopause is decades away, women begin losing bone mass as early as their 20s, so it’s never too soon to start thinking about bone health. And if you treat your bones right, it’ll be easier to stay active, strong, and vibrant for years to come.
