A study I previously ran on this site found a stronger connection between exercise and improved bone density among teens than taking calcium. Fact is, most patients I see are far more concerned about their calcium requirements than whether or not they are getting enough exercise to build their bones. It is important to understand, however, there are many healthy and inexpensive options available to help make your bones strong.

There are a number of important things you can do if you have low bone density, or are worried about it in the future. One is to increase your consumption of vegetables based on your body's unique nutritional type. Remember, what may be healthy for others is not necessarily healthy for you and vice-versa, so eating according to your nutritional type is really an incredible way to determine what you are naturally designed to eat.

However, if after determining your nutritional type you still find it difficult to eat the recommended amount of vegetables you need daily, you can try vegetable juicing.

One of the many positive qualities of vegetable juice is that it is high in vitamin K, which is a crucial part of bone health. Yet most people do not get enough of it from diet alone unless they juice vegetables or eat large amounts of dark green leafy vegetables. The type of vitamin K from plants is vitamin K1. An even stronger vitamin K is vitamin K2 and this is obtained from animals. Probably one of the best ways to obtain vitamin K2 is from fermented raw milk products. You can ferment raw milk with kefir starter packets and get the vitamin K2 for free.

I also offer a potent disease-fighting form of vitamin K2 in supplemental form. This exclusive patented formula of vitamin K2 -- derived from a newly available extract of natto -- is only available online here at Mercola.com.

Some Major Benefits of Vitamin K

• Improves bone density, serving as the biological "glue" that helps plug calcium into your bone matrix
• Helps you prevent and fight osteoporosis
• Aids in preventing hardening of the arteries, or arterial calcification
• Helps prevent atherosclerosis (coronary artery disease) and heart failure

Another important tool to improve bone density is the use of anabolic steroids like DHEA and testosterone. These bioidentical hormones are incredibly powerful tools that consistently increase bone density.

However, these hormones should only be implemented with expert professional guidance. The use of the prescription drug testosterone, which is given as a gel, needs to be guided through the use of blood, urine testing, or saliva testing. It is also important to understand that bioidentical estrogen and progesterone must be used when women use testosterone as this will help prevent imbalances.

This works out well as most women seem to benefit from the use of estrogen and progesterone once they are menopausal. The doses, however, are quite variable. Typically estrogen is given as estradiol gel and progesterone as an oral micronized version, as the progesterone creams do not seem to work very well.

Also, vitamin D from the sun (and if you don't get enough sun exposure) cod liver oil is key to maintaining strong bones.

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Vitamin K May Help Build Strong Bones