This Study Says Vegans That Lift Have Stronger Bones

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We all know that lifting weights and eating vegan are healthy things to do. However, according to research, vegans who don’t lift do have a higher risk of fractures as well as lower bone mineral density (source). This is especially important to know if you’re a bit older since your bones become more brittle as you age.

What Did The Study Find?

The study followed 43 nonobese female and male participants on a vegan diet, as well as 45 nonobese females and males on an omnivore diet. In total, it took the researchers five years to complete the study.

One of the findings of the study was that:

Vegans not reporting resistance training had diminished bone microarchitecture compared with omnivores not reporting resistance training.

Source

In other words, following a vegan diet without doing proper strength training (such as lifting weights or doing challenging body weight exercises) reduces bone density compared to people who don’t follow a vegan diet.

However, there’s good news here as well. Researchers also wanted to know if vegans who did do strength exercises had lower bone density compared to non-vegans who were also lifting weights.

As it turns out, there’s no difference between these groups! That means that strength training can completely undo the higher risk of bone fractures for vegans.

What Exercises Are Best For Increasing Bone Density?

When it comes to strength training, the good news is that any exercise that has weight added to it will increase your bone density. This means that challenging body weight, machine, or free weight exercises will all do the trick.

An interesting fact here is that people who suffer from osteoporosis (a disease where bone density has become a real problem in someone’s body) often break bones in their upper back first (source). That’s why it’s recommended to at least do exercises that target this area, such as bent-over barbell or dumbbell rows.

On top of that, any exercise that’s weight-bearing is great as well. Walking is a great example of this. Yoga also definitely helps because it puts weight on the bones and increases your flexibility at the same time.

If you do have weak bones, it’s best to stay away from exercises that involve a lot of jumping or other high-impact movements since this could put too much pressure on the bones. Read more here about low-impact strength training exercises.

Should I Take Supplements To Increase My Bone Health?

If you’re eating a well-balanced plant-based diet and are lifting weights there’s no reason to take extra supplements. In this case, everything you need should already be included in your lifestyle. If you’re not yet doing strength training, starting would be the single best thing you could do here.

Still, it’s important to know what minerals and vitamins are used for bone health and if you’re getting enough of them.

Protein

Studies have shown a positive link between sufficient protein intake and increased bone density (source). 0.4 grams of protein per pound of body weight is recommended for healthy adults. If you’re above the age of 60, protein intake should be a bit higher at around 0.5 grams per pound of body weight. If you’re an adult who’s trying to gain muscle, 0.8 – 1 gram per pound of body weight is ideal.

Calcium

Our bones are partially made from calcium so it makes sense you need
enough of this mineral to keep them strong. For adults below the age of 50, around 700 – 1,000 mg per day is recommended. If you’re above 50, aim for 1,000 – 1,200 mg per day (source).

Vitamin D

Vitamin D helps your body absorb calcium and lowers the risk of osteoporosis in older adults (source). The good thing about vitamin D is that you get enough of it if you spend 15-30 minutes per day in the sun. The bad thing is that it is recommended to supplement between October and March if you live in the northern parts of the US. Aim for around 15 mcg per day.

Vitamin K

Vitamin K helps make proteins that are needed for building bones. It has been proven it increases bone density and lowers the risk of bone fractures (source). 120 mcg per day is the recommended dosage.

Stefan K.

Stefan has been vegan since 2019 and has been regularly working on his strength since the beginning of 2023. He’s on a mission to help other vegans get stronger and have all of them achieve the quality of life they deserve.