How To Improve Bone Health After 50: A Doctor Shares 4 Ways To Keep Bones Strong
Learn why stress and sleep play a bigger role than you may think
Key Takeaways
- Bone loss speeds up after menopause, but simple daily habits can help preserve bone strength.
- Weight-bearing exercise, strength training and good nutrition support a healthier skeleton.
- Sleep, stress management and early DEXA scans are often overlooked bone-health boosters.
Sure, we’ve all heard that the risk of developing osteoporosis (weak and brittle bones) increases with age. But the years around menopause are when many women begin losing bone mass faster than they can rebuild it, putting us at higher risk for painful breaks. Fortunately, knowing how to improve your bone health now can protect you from fractures for decades to come.
We asked Felice Gersh, MD, board-certified integrative gynecologist and founder of the Integrative Medical Group of Irvine, for her best advice on keeping your bones strong after 50. Her guidance is straightforward and effective—something you can start using today.
Think of your bones like a savings account
“Your early 50s are a great time to start protecting your bones,” Dr. Gersh says. “I think about bone health like retirement planning. In youth, you’re making deposits into your ‘bone savings account.’ Most people reach peak bone mass around age 30. After that, the goal is preservation: Keeping enough strong bone to last the rest of your life.”
Woman's World Answers
The catch? Around menopause, often near age 50, falling estradiol—the primary ovarian estrogen—can speed up bone loss. That means the “withdrawals” from your account can start outpacing what you put in, a risk factor for osteoporosis.
How to improve your bone health
To keep your bones healthy, Dr. Gersh recommends the following tips:
Don’t wait to check your account
The standard recommendation is to get a DEXA bone-density scan at age 65, but Dr. Gersh says many women can benefit from an earlier one to stay healthy.
“Ask your clinician whether they recommend a DEXA scan, especially if you have risk factors such as family history, low body weight, prior fracture, steroid use, smoking, digestive problems, inflammatory conditions or early menopause,” she advises. Knowing your numbers early gives you time to act rather than discovering a problem after a fall.
Practice weight-bearing exercises
“Bones need healthy stress to stay strong,” Dr. Gersh explains. That means the right kind of movement matters more than simply staying active. Her recommendations:
- Weight-bearing movement like brisk walking, stair climbing or dancing
- Strength training two to three times a week
- Balance training, because preventing falls helps prevent fractures
The best part? You don’t need a gym membership or a complicated routine. A daily walk, a set of stairs and a few strength sessions with light hand weights at home can go a long way toward maintaining bone mass and balance.
Feed your bones what they need
“Bone is living tissue, so it needs adequate protein, minerals, vitamin D and the many nutrients found in fruits and vegetables,” Dr. Gersh says. She also points to a surprising factor: “Chronic inflammation can activate the cells that break down bone, so sleep, gut health and stress resilience all matter.”
Translation? Getting enough sleep, managing stress and eating a colorful, whole-food diet aren’t just good for your energy—they’re good for your skeleton, too.
Consider the hormone conversation
For many women, estrogen is a missing piece of the bone-health puzzle. “Estradiol helps balance bone breakdown and rebuilding to support bone preservation,” Dr. Gersh says. “For many women, thoughtfully prescribed menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) can be an important part of a complete bone-protection plan.”
The bottom line on how to improve bone health
Dr. Gersh’s takeaway is simple: “Measure early, make a layered bone health plan and preserve what you’ve built.” No matter your age, there’s so much you can do to protect your bones right now.
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