Here’s the Case for Thinking About Your Bone Health Right Now

You Should Know: Apparently, your bones are basically a retirement account, and your 20s are prime deposit time. Bone density peaks before you turn 30, then starts a slow decline through your 40s and beyond. The earlier you start investing in them, the larger the buffer you’ll have in the future. And the inverse is true, too: The less bone mass you build up now, the more likely you are to deal with fractures or osteoporosis later in life.

Going Deeper: Like most things related to health, building bone density mostly comes down to diet and exercise. Load-bearing exercise, like strength training and brisk walking, puts pressure on your bones, which signals your body to produce more bone tissue. Pairing that with getting sufficient levels of calcium and vitamin D gives your body the raw materials to do so.

Takeaway: There’s no shortcut to building resilient bones. However, the diet and exercise habits you maintain now will absolutely be reflected in your health later on, whether you’re 22 or 42.

Bottom Line: There’s no hack for building stronger bones, but you can absolutely earn them if you put in the effort.