If We “lose Bone,” Where Does It Go? Can It Be Replaced Once It’s Lost?

We usually don’t begin to lose bone until we are in our mid-30s, which is after our peak bone mass has been reached. Around this age, the process of remodeling takes over and the balancing act of replacing lost bone with new bone begins. If you do not continually take in enough of the nutrient building blocks for bones, such as protein, calcium, and vitamin D, and if you do not get appropriate exercise, the process of remodeling becomes unbalanced.

If the osteoclasts outpace the osteoblasts during remodeling, holes will be made faster than they can be filled by the osteoblasts. The osteoclasts break down collagen, which is excreted in urine, and in this way bone is lost. When calcium and phosphorus are taken from the bones in your body to replace low levels of calcium and phosphorus in the blood, bone loss also occurs. Once bone is lost, it can be replaced. However, increasing bone mass once it has been lost requires the right combination of exercise, intake of essential nutrients, and, often, prescription medications.