Evidence-based information on nutrition, exercise, and supplements for Canadians concerned about osteoporosis and long-term bone health. Written plainly, sourced carefully.
Bone Health Canada is a free resource written for Canadians concerned about their bone density — whether you've received a low bone density reading, you're approaching a life stage where bone loss accelerates, or you're supporting an older parent navigating osteoporosis.
You'll find practical, evidence-based guides on nutrition (which Canadian foods actually deliver calcium, why vitamin D is nearly impossible to get from sunlight for half the year at our latitude), exercise (which types stimulate bone formation and which don't — swimming and cycling do not), supplements (what the evidence supports on calcium, vitamin D, magnesium, and K2), and osteoporosis (what the T-score numbers mean, who should be screened, what treatment looks like in Canada).
Everything is sourced from peer-reviewed research and aligned with Health Canada and Osteoporosis Canada guidelines. New here? Start with the calcium guide — it answers the most common questions people arrive with. Or jump to understanding osteoporosis if that's your immediate concern.
1 in 3 Canadian women and 1 in 5 Canadian men over age 50 will experience an osteoporosis-related fracture in their lifetime. Over 2 million Canadians currently have osteoporosis, and many don't know until a fracture occurs. (Osteoporosis Canada)
Bone density peaks around age 25–30, then declines at roughly 0.5–1% per year. Women lose bone faster in the decade after menopause. The higher your peak bone mass, the longer your buffer — which is why bone-protective habits in your 30s and 40s matter as much as treatments started later in life.
40–60% of Canadians have insufficient vitamin D, with deficiency rates rising sharply November through March. Osteoporosis Canada recommends 800–2000 IU daily for adults over 50. Most foods provide only 100–300 IU per serving. For most Canadians, supplementation is the only realistic solution. (Health Canada; Osteoporosis Canada)
Calcium absorption is vitamin D–dependent. Most Canadians are deficient in vitamin D for 4–6 months of the year due to our latitude — which means they absorb only a fraction of their dietary or supplemental calcium. Address vitamin D first. A simple 25-hydroxyvitamin D blood test will tell you where you stand. See our vitamin D guide →
Your body can only absorb approximately 500mg of calcium at a time. Taking a 1000mg supplement all at once means absorbing roughly half. Split doses — 500mg with breakfast, 500mg with dinner — effectively doubles what your body retains. This costs nothing to change and makes a measurable difference. See our calcium guide →
Vitamin K2 (particularly the MK-7 form) activates proteins that direct calcium into bones rather than blood vessel walls. Without adequate K2, supplemental calcium is more likely to accumulate in arterial tissue than improve bone density. K2 is found mainly in natto, aged hard cheeses, and fermented dairy — foods most Canadians rarely eat. If you're supplementing calcium long-term, K2 deserves serious attention. See our vitamin K2 guide →
Bone responds to mechanical loading — the impact and resistance of weight-bearing activity. Swimming and cycling are excellent for cardiovascular fitness and joint health, but research consistently shows that dedicated swimmers and cyclists have lower bone density than runners and resistance trainers. If these are your primary activities, adding 2–3 weight-bearing sessions per week is important. See our exercise guide →
Most Canadian adults fall short of their daily calcium target — and bone loss starts earlier than most people think. Here's what the research actually says about calcium, diet, and supplements.
Read the Guide →How much calcium you actually need at each life stage, which Canadian foods deliver it most efficiently (canned sardines beat milk in calcium per calorie), when supplements make sense vs. when they're unnecessary, and why calcium carbonate vs. citrate matters if you take medications or have low stomach acid.
Read more →Above 55°N (Edmonton, Prince George, most of the North), the sun's angle is too low to trigger vitamin D synthesis from roughly November through March. Even below that latitude, UV-B drops too low to be effective for much of winter. This guide explains what blood levels to target, how to supplement effectively, and why "just get outside more" isn't a viable winter strategy for most Canadians.
Read more →Impact hierarchy matters: jumping stimulates more bone formation than running, which stimulates more than walking. Resistance training targeting hips and spine (the fracture sites that matter most) is as important as cardio. This guide gives you a concrete protocol — what to do, how often, and how to modify safely if you already have low bone density or osteoporosis.
Read more →An honest look at the full bone supplement landscape: calcium (carbonate vs. citrate, dose timing), vitamin D (D3 vs. D2, how much is enough), magnesium (its underappreciated role in bone metabolism), vitamin K2 (MK-4 vs. MK-7, why it matters), and collagen (what the evidence actually supports). Includes a quick verdict on what's worth the money and what isn't.
Read more →What a T-score of −2.5 actually means in practical terms, when to ask your doctor for a bone mineral density (BMD) test (DEXA scan), which provincial health plans cover it and when, how osteoporosis medications work, and what lifestyle changes produce real results. Includes the FRAX tool explanation — the 10-year fracture probability calculator most Canadian doctors now use.
Read more →Beyond dairy: canned salmon (bones included) delivers ~210mg calcium per serving plus vitamin D; sardines in oil give ~350mg per can; chia seeds provide ~180mg per 2 tablespoons. This guide ranks the most calcium-dense Canadian foods by realistic serving size, covers the often-overlooked bone nutrients (vitamin K from leafy greens, magnesium from pumpkin seeds), and includes a sample day of eating that hits bone nutrition targets without supplements.
Read more →