Seth Hosmer

Lots of good comments so far regarding nutrition and exercise. The take home on bone health is that for an otherwise healthy individual, both good nutrition (and possibly supplementation) and proper load-bearing exercise are required for skeletal health.

Your bones are dynamic like the rest of your body - constantly being remodeled and broken down/re-built. They respond to the demands imposed on them, "bulking up" when the proper stimulus is applied or thinning/weakenening if the skeletal system is not properly stressed. This is the SAID principle - specific adaptation to imposed demand, and most systems of the body respond to meet the challenges we apply.

I spoke with a MD bone density researcher at OHSU about this bone health question, and he agreed that around 1000mg of Calcium and 800 IU of vitamin D per day are needed for optimal bone health from a nutrition standpoint. This can come from food, supplements, etc.

Note that most of us do not get adequate vitamin D in fall/winter/spring b/c we don't get adequate sun exposure.

For the exercise part of the equation, multi-joint exercises that load the skeleton can provide a stimulus for bone to increase strength. There is also the added benefit of re-balancing the body after a season of cycling.

I will be again offering my Strength Training for Endurance Athletes program starting in October. This is an excellent program for improving the health of your musculoskeletal system.

Seth Hosmer, DC, CSCS
www.HPChiro.com
503.227.2279