Bone Health
Living with HIV can affect bone strength—protect yours
If you’re living with HIV, you may lose bone thickness sooner than people who are not living with HIV. But there’s plenty you can do to help keep your bones strong.
The facts about HIV and bone health
What do we know about HIV and bone health?
- Osteoporosis is a bone disease that weakens the bones and increases the risk of fractures. It becomes more common as people age, especially for women because of loss of estrogen production after menopause. A milder form of bone loss is known as osteopenia
- The first sign is often a fracture from a minor fall, or tiny spine fractures that cause back pain
- Your bone strength can be affected by lifestyle factors like diet, physical activity, smoking, and alcohol use. For people living with HIV, HIV itself and certain medicines may also affect your bone strength
Things you can do to help
Caring for your bones is part of caring for your future. With a few healthy habits and regular check-ins with your care team, you can help protect them.
What you can do:
Get the nutrients your bones need.
Make sure you’re getting enough calcium and vitamin D. You can find these in:
- Calcium-rich foods: Milk, dairy products like yogurt and cheese, broccoli, kale, tofu, sardines, and almonds
- Vitamin D-rich foods: Milk, egg yolks, saltwater fish, liver, and fortified milk or cereal
- You can also take calcium and vitamin D supplements—just remember to talk to your care team before starting any supplements
Stay active.
Walking, regular weight-bearing and muscle-strengthening exercises can help keep your bones strong.
Check in with your doctor regularly.
Talk about your bone health, especially as you get older, and ask about getting a bone density scan.
Cut back on alcohol and quit smoking if you can.
These mindful changes can go a long way in protecting your bones and your overall health.
Hive Keeper—your guide to whole health
Print the physical health section, save it on your phone, or bring it along to your next care visit.
Images may include models used for illustrative purposes only. They are not individuals with HIV unless explicitly stated.