4 Foods And Ingredients That Have A Negative Impact On Bone Density

My grandmother has osteoporosis, along with 10 million other Americans diagnosed with the disease and 43 million others with low bone mass. Not wanting to follow in her hobbled footsteps, the rest of the women in the family are taking precautions, including consuming the recommended amount of calcium (more isn’t necessarily better), adding weight-bearing exercises to our exercise regimens and attending regular doctor checkups.

But according to orthopedic specialists, protecting and maintaining strong bones has less to do with drinking tons of milk (those Got Milk campaigns certainly had their intended effect ) and more to do with avoiding foods and beverages that can impact our bone density.

Folks concerned about osteoporosis often add calcium and vitamin D to their diets, but these supplements could hurt your bone health rather than help if not taken as needed. Dr. Liz Matzkin , associate professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in the Department of Orthopedic Surgery in Boston, explained: “Although calcium and Vitamin D is important to maintain bone health, exceeding the recommended doses per day can backfire and be harmful rather than beneficial. Calcium and vitamin D requirements are age dependent, so make sure you are aware of the optimal dose for you.”

She advised that, for ages 50 and over, the recommendations are 1,000 milligrams per day of calcium and 800 to 1000 international units per day of vitamin D.

Below, orthopedic surgeons and specialists share the foods they avoid to help lessen their risk of osteoporosis.

Alcohol

We don’t blame you if you’re totally confused about whether alcohol is a healthy or unhealthy addition to your diet. Whether you’ve heard it’s beneficial for heart health or are