Calcium, D3 and K2: Building Stronger Bones the Indian Way

Osteoporosis feels like an old-age problem, until a grandmother breaks a hip after a simple fall, or a 45-year-old woman's bone scan comes back low. Indian studies suggest bone loss tends to show up earlier here than in Western populations, and women are hit hardest after menopause.

Bones are living tissue. You build most of your bone mass by your late 20s, then slowly lose it. What you do in between decides how much you have left.

For why Indians often run low despite the sun, see our vitamin D deficiency guide.

Calcium: necessary, but not the whole story

Calcium is the main mineral in bone. The ICMR-NIN suggests around 1,000 mg a day for most adults, and many Indian diets fall short, especially where milk and curd intake is low.

Good Indian sources:

• Milk, curd, paneer and buttermilk

• Ragi (nachni), one of the richest grain sources

• Sesame seeds (til), rajma, chana

• Green leafy vegetables like methi and amaranth

But eating calcium isn't the same as getting it into your bones. That's where two vitamins come in.

Vitamin D3: getting calcium in

Without enough vitamin D, your gut absorbs only a fraction of the calcium you eat. As we've written before, vitamin D deficiency is very common in India despite all the sunshine, thanks to indoor lives, pollution and covered skin. Low D means your body may pull calcium from bones to keep blood levels steady.

Vitamin K2: helping calcium land in the right place

K2 is less well known. It activates proteins like osteocalcin, which helps bind calcium into bone, and matrix Gla protein, which helps keep calcium out of artery walls. The MK-7 form stays in the body longer than other forms.

Research on K2 and fracture risk is still mixed, and not all trials agree. But the biology makes sense, and Indian diets have very few K2 sources. The richest is natto, a Japanese fermented soybean. Some cheeses and fermented foods contain small amounts.

Habits that matter more than any pill

• Load your bones. Walking helps, but strength training, stair climbing and skipping put the kind of stress bones respond to.

• Get enough protein. Bone is partly a protein framework.

• Watch the extras. Smoking, heavy drinking, too much salt and lots of cola all work against bone.

• Check your levels. If you're a woman over 45, or have a family history of fractures, ask your doctor about a vitamin D test and a DEXA scan.

Where a supplement may fit

If your diet is low in dairy and your vitamin D is low, a supplement can help fill the gap. Our D3 + K2 tablets contain 600 IU of vitamin D3 and 52 mcg of vitamin K2 as MK-7, ₹499 for 60 tablets. It's a daily maintenance dose, not a treatment for a diagnosed deficiency. If your levels are very low, your doctor may prescribe a higher dose for a set period.

Calcium supplements are a separate decision. Too much from pills may cause problems for some people, so aim to get most of it from food and ask your doctor before adding high-dose calcium.

Important: vitamin K affects blood clotting. If you take warfarin or another blood thinner, don't start K2 without talking to your doctor.

This article is for general information only and is not medical advice. Supplements are not meant to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. Speak to your doctor before starting anything new, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, on medication or managing a health condition.

References

1. ICMR-NIN. Nutrient Requirements for Indians. 2020.

2. Khadilkar AV, Mandlik RM. Epidemiology and treatment of osteoporosis in women: an Indian perspective. Int J Womens Health. 2015.

3. Holick MF. Vitamin D deficiency. N Engl J Med. 2007.

4. Knapen MHJ, et al. Three-year low-dose menaquinone-7 supplementation helps decrease bone loss in healthy postmenopausal women. Osteoporos Int. 2013.

5. Weaver CM, et al. The National Osteoporosis Foundation's position statement on peak bone mass development and lifestyle factors. Osteoporos Int. 2016.