People with osteopenia should work bone health into their diet and lifestyle routines.
Diet
Your bones need calcium and other nutrients to maintain their strength.
Exercise
Weight-bearing exercises and resistance exercises stimulate your bones to become stronger.
Pascal Le Segretain / Staff / Getty Images
There’s evidence that activity in your early years has protective effects later.
Vitamin D
Your body needs healthy levels ofvitamin Dtoproperly absorb calcium.
That means some supplement products may not contain what the label says.
Other Vitamins
Some medications are associated with a risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis, including steroids.
A 2024 study suggestsvitamin Emay offer protective benefits for bone when people take steroids.
Vitamin Calso may offer general bone health benefits.
Talk about these risks with your healthcare provider.
If you have been diagnosed with osteopenia, take special care to prevent falls.
Osteopenia Medications
Your healthcare provider may recommend treatment with medication for osteopenia.
Several different drugs are available.
Ibandronate injections may be effective at reducing spinal fractures.
It’s also used when any key in of cancer spreads to the bones.
Summary
Osteopenia is a loss of bone density that isn’t quite as severe as osteoporosis.
Diet and nutrition are key to bone health, so ensuring enough calcium and vitamin D is important.
Some studies suggest vitamin E and vitamin C also may offer benefits.
Weight-bearing exercise can help to strengthen bones.
Lifestyle choices also include avoiding smoking, alcohol, and caffeine.
Medications can help to treat osteopenia and prevent further bone loss.
Talk to your healthcare provider about the benefits and risks of medication.
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