The two nutrients the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) names for bone strength are calcium and vitamin D. Calcium hardens and strengthens bone, and vitamin D helps your body absorb the calcium you eat. The NIAMS page does not name a single best bone health vitamin or say any one vitamin rebuilds bone density.
Which nutrients are actually needed for bone health?
As of October 15, 2026, the NIAMS page on calcium and vitamin D, last reviewed in May 2023, says your body cannot make calcium, so it has to come from food, drinks, or supplements when needed. If you do not get enough, your body takes the calcium it needs from your bones, which over time weakens them and raises the risk of osteoporosis. Vitamin D helps you absorb calcium, works with calcium to help older adults guard against osteoporosis, and supports muscle and immune function. Too little vitamin D over time can cause osteomalacia and osteoporosis in adults.
| Nutrient | What the NIAMS page says it does for bone | Food sources named on the page |
|---|---|---|
| Calcium | Hardens and strengthens bone; the body draws on bone when intake is low | Milk, cheese, and yogurt; fish such as salmon and tuna; leafy greens such as kale and turnip greens; tofu set with calcium; small fish with bones such as sardines and canned salmon |
| Vitamin D | Helps absorb calcium; with calcium, helps older adults guard against osteoporosis; supports muscles and immune system | Few foods naturally contain it, including trout, salmon, tuna, and mackerel; most vitamin D from food comes from fortified foods such as most milk, some yogurts, ready-to-eat cereals, and orange juice |
The page also says most people in the United States do not get enough vitamin D to meet recommended intakes, and that some vitamin D can be made through sun exposure. The page lists daily amounts for calcium and vitamin D by age group, taken from the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements, but it does not explain how to measure an individual gap. For a closer look at calcium, see our Calcium for Senior Bone Health profile.
Is a multivitamin enough to close my intake gap?
The NIAMS page does not discuss multivitamins, so it cannot tell you whether one closes your gap. It does give you the daily amounts to compare against. Write down what you eat in a typical week, compare it with the age-group table for calcium and for vitamin D, and then check the label of any product you are considering against the same table. Labels show what a product contains per serving, so note whether it lists calcium and vitamin D at all and how those amounts fit with your food. The NIAMS page advises talking with your health care provider before taking a calcium or vitamin D supplement. For more on the multivitamin question, read Multivitamin Healthy Aging: What the Research Actually Shows.
| Step | What to check | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Your usual intake | Calcium and vitamin D from a typical week of food and drink | Food sources listed on the NIAMS page |
| 2. Your target | The daily amount for your age group | The age-group tables on the NIAMS page |
| 3. Any product label | Whether calcium and vitamin D are listed, and the amount per serving | The product's label or supplement facts panel |
| 4. Your provider | Whether a gap is worth discussing or checking | Your next appointment |
Can I take vitamin D with diltiazem, or vitamin D3 and K2 every day?
The NIAMS page does not cover drug interactions, and it does not discuss vitamin K2. For the diltiazem question, ask your pharmacist or prescriber before combining the two, since they can check your full medicine list. The NIA guide to taking medicines safely says to tell your doctor about all medicines you take, including those prescribed by other doctors and any over-the-counter drugs, vitamins, supplements, and herbal remedies. Ask the same question before you pair vitamin D3 with vitamin K2 in a daily routine. For vitamin K2 itself, see our vitamin K2 profile for senior bone and cardiovascular health.
Which vitamin rebuilds bone density, and is there a new drug or breakthrough?
The NIAMS page does not name a vitamin that rebuilds bone density. It also does not describe a new drug or a breakthrough that reverses osteoporosis. Its message is that calcium and vitamin D are needed to keep bones strong, and that low levels of either over time can weaken them. The NIAMS calcium and vitamin D page does not discuss osteoporosis medicines, so it cannot rank them. Take medicine questions to your clinician. For diagnosis and treatment, see the NIAMS osteoporosis topic page; it was not reviewed for this article.
What food should people with osteoporosis eat more of?
The NIAMS page does not give diet advice specific to osteoporosis. It does say that milk, cheese, and yogurt are the best food sources of calcium, and it names fish, leafy greens, tofu set with calcium, and small fish with bones as other sources. If you want one food to start with, dairy is the one the page puts first.
What about the Japanese and ethnicity questions?
The NIAMS page does not compare osteoporosis rates across ethnic groups and does not describe what people in Japan take for osteoporosis. For those answers, read the NIAMS osteoporosis topic page or ask your clinician.
What this page cannot tell you
- Whether a multivitamin closes an individual intake gap. The NIAMS page does not address multivitamins.
- Whether any vitamin rebuilds bone density. The page explains what calcium and vitamin D do for bone; it does not report results of taking them to rebuild density.
- Drug interactions, including diltiazem with vitamin D, and combinations with vitamin K2.
- Osteoporosis-specific diet advice, rates by ethnic group or country, and rankings of bone medicines.
Before you buy or change anything
- Ask your provider whether your food intake leaves a calcium or vitamin D gap worth checking. Our guide to Vitamin D Blood Tests in Older Adults explains what a result can and cannot answer.
- Ask your pharmacist about every medicine you take, such as diltiazem, before adding vitamin D or vitamin K2.
- Compare each calcium and vitamin D amount on a label with your age-group amount on the NIAMS page.
- Ask the maker of any product you are considering for its full label and current terms before you order.
This page is general information, not medical advice. The NIAMS page is the source for the calcium and vitamin D points above.
By the Senior Safety Desk Editorial Team