Exercise and diet, as well as hormone replacement therapy with estrogen, primarily act by slowing the rate of bone loss. But there are medications that actually help the body build bone rather than just slowing bone loss. As always, consult your doctor if you think you may need osteoporosis treatment or preventive therapy. And at any age, if you don't get enough calcium from your diet, your body will take it from your bones. Your doctor can tell you how much calcium you need in your diet and whether you need a calcium supplement.
Regular exercise is also important.
Weight-bearing exercise such as walking or jogging stimulates bone formation, while lack of activity increases the rate of bone loss. Women who exercise so strenuously that they stop menstruating may actually be at risk for increased bone loss. For more information about the pros and cons of HRT, consult your doctor. Experimental studies have found that these drugs can increase bone formation in animals and in human cells. More recently, two medical research studies compared older women who were and were not taking statins.