Did you know one in two women, and one in five men, over the age of 50 will break a bone because of osteoporosis?
Whether you’ve been in class with me this month or you’re reading this for the first time, this is genuinely worth a few minutes of your time – because right now, this week, is exactly when the advice changes for the year ahead.
The Royal Osteoporosis Society recommends everyone consider a daily vitamin D supplement from the end of September through to the beginning of April, because our skin simply can’t make it from sunlight during those months. So if you’re going to start, now really is the moment.
Why this matters, whoever you are
In class this September, our focus has been bone density – we finished last Thursday with press-ups for upper body strength and plyometric jumping and hopping for the lower body. Impact and resistance are two of the most powerful things you can do for your bones through movement.
But movement is only half the picture. Bone needs the right raw materials to build itself too – and that’s where vitamin D and calcium come in, for absolutely everyone, not just those of us already thinking about our bones.
Vitamin D: the moment to start is now
Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium properly – without enough of it, extra calcium in your diet doesn’t do much good. Your skin makes vitamin D from sunlight, but in the UK, from around the end of September through to the beginning of April, the sun isn’t strong enough for that to happen, whatever the weather looks like outside.
Everyone should consider a daily supplement of 10 micrograms (400 IU) through this period. A supplement is recommended all year round if you don’t spend much time outside, cover up most of your skin when you’re out, or use sunscreen most of the time – and it may be worth taking year round too if you have dark skin, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
If you’re at risk of osteoporosis, or already taking an osteoporosis medicine, you may be advised to increase this to a 20 microgram (800 IU) supplement daily, to make sure you’re getting enough for your bones.
I’ll be honest, I take mine every single day, all year round, not just through autumn and winter.
One thing worth knowing: more isn’t automatically better. Adults should avoid daily high-dose supplements containing more than 100 micrograms (4000 IU) a day, and I’d always steer you toward a standard-strength supplement rather than the very high-dose ones you sometimes see on shelves, unless a GP has specifically recommended it for you.
Calcium: how much do you actually need?
Most adults need 700mg of calcium a day. If you’re at risk of osteoporosis or taking an osteoporosis medicine, your doctor may advise increasing this to around 1,000mg a day, to make sure your bones are getting enough.
Read the Royal Osteoporosis Society’s guidance here
If any of this applies to you, please do talk to your GP or pharmacist about what’s right for your specific bone density and health picture – this is general guidance, not a personal prescription.
Getting calcium from your diet
You don’t need to rely purely on supplements. You can usually get all the calcium you need for your bones from food alone. Good sources include:
– Dairy – milk, cheese, yoghurt
– Calcium-set tofu
– Fortified plant milks (check the label – not all are fortified)
– Tinned fish eaten with the bones, like sardines or salmon
– Leafy greens like kale and bok choy (interestingly, spinach isn’t such a great source despite being green – it contains oxalates, which block calcium absorption)
– Almonds and tahini (sesame paste)
There’s some lovely practical detail on the Royal Osteoporosis Society’s own eating well page if you’d like to dig deeper.
If you’re vegan or plant-based
Vitamin D3 is traditionally sourced from lanolin, found in sheep’s wool, so if you’re vegan, look for D3 made from lichen – a fully plant-based source now widely available in the UK – or vitamin D2. For calcium, lean on the fortified plant milks, tofu, and leafy greens above, since dairy is off the table.
Want to check your own risk?
The Royal Osteoporosis Society has a free risk checker that takes about five minutes and gives you a personalised look at your own bone health risk factors. It’s not a diagnosis, but it’s a genuinely useful starting point if you’re wondering whether any of this applies to you.
Take the free risk checker here
Movement plus nutrition, not one or the other
This is really the whole point for me – strong bones aren’t only about what happens in a class, or what’s in your medicine cabinet. They’re built from consistent, progressive movement and the right nutritional building blocks, working together.
I hope this has been useful for you. The Royal Osteoporosis Society’s website is a genuinely excellent resource if any of this has raised questions or concerns – it can point you toward bone health screening and further support too.
And if you’d like to talk any of it through with me directly – what’s right for your own bones, your own risk factors, your own next steps – I’m always here for that.
That’s exactly the kind of thing I love helping people with.
Love, Rhi x