11 Foods & Supplements for Broken Bones Healing

When you have a broken bone, the healing time can seem excruciatingly slow, but did you know there are some special supplements for broken bones healing? By adding the right nutrients to your diet, you may just be able to heal your bones in record time. 

Nutrition plays a major role in your health, and can impact your healing greatly. If you’re filling your body with junk, it won’t be able to function as well. Conversely, if you provide your body with the nutrients it needs naturally to heal you, you’ll be well on your way to feeling better. 

So what supplements help heal broken bones? Today we will examine just that. We’ll go over some general rules for a healing diet, and then list out the best foods and supplements for broken bones healing so you can feel like yourself again. 

Some general guidelines for a bone healing diet 

Before we get into the best foods and supplements for broken bones healing, let’s discuss some basic rules you want to follow with your diet during the healing process. 

To improve your bone healing process, you should:

• Eat foods that lower inflammation.
• Minimize muscle mass loss by eating high-protein foods. 
• Eat enough calories to help you heal without weight gain. This should be less than your normal active diet, but enough to help you walk on crutches or attend physical therapy. 
• Eat foods that promote tissue healing.
• Eat high fiber foods to combat constipation.

While healing from a broken bone, you should consult with your doctor on the process, habits, and eating plan that they recommend. That being said, there are some specific foods and supplements for broken bones healing that you can speak with your doctor about. 

11 foods & supplements for broken bones healing 

Here are the best foods and supplements for broken bones healing: 

1. High protein foods 

Protein is THE most important nutrient for healing your body. When it comes to your bones, about half your bone’s structure is made of protein – so if you don’t have enough protein, you won’t be able to build new bone cells and heal well. 

Some good sources of protein include: meat, fish, cheese, milk, yogurt, beans, soy produces, seeds, and some cereals. 

2. Collagen supplements 

If we want to get specific about the protein your body needs for healing, then it’s time to talk about collagen. Collagen IS the protein your body uses to heal. When you eat high-protein foods, your body breaks them down into amino acids so that it can create collagen protein molecules.

But you can also just give your body collagen! 

Collagen for bone health is extremely important. It can help to prevent and reverse osteoporosis, and can be used to speed up the healing of broken bones because of collagen’s wound healing properties. 

It is one of the very best daily supplements for broken bones healing. 

When looking for collagen supplements for broken bones healing, you want to look for a product that says “collagen peptides” or “hydrolyzed collagen.” This means it has been broken down into small pieces that are easy for your body to digest and use towards healing.

Of course, there are many other collagen peptides benefits, too, from improved gut health, to less joint pain, to fewer wrinkles! If you are wondering what supplements help heal broken bones, collagen is a fantastic place to start. 

3. Calcium

Most people know that calcium helps to build strong bones – but it can also help to heal breaks and fractures. Adults should get between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams of calcium every day. If you aren’t getting enough in your diet, it may be a good idea to take calcium supplements for broken bones healing. 

Many people can get the suggested dietary intake of calcium through dairy products, but if you are vegan or lactose intolerant, this could be a problem for you.

Thankfully, there are some non-dairy sources of calcium as well, such as kale, broccoli, and salmon.

That being said, you should break up your calcium intake throughout the day because your body can only digest about 500 mg of calcium at a time. 

Some good sources of calcium include: milk, yogurt, cheese, kale, bok choy, soy beans, broccoli, turnips, collard greens, canned tuna or salmon, and almond milk.

4. Vitamin D

If you are looking for the best supplements for broken bones healing, vitamin D is undoubtedly one of them! Vitamin C helps your blood to take in and use calcium and build up the minerals in your bones.

Some people can get enough vitamin D simply from soaking up some sunlight. It can be a good idea to spend some time outside each day while healing. But this isn’t always realistic depending on the season and the climate. 

Adults should get at least 600 IU of vitamin D every day, and if you're over 70 you should get at least 800 IU. If you aren’t getting enough from the sun or through your diet, a supplement might be a good idea for you. 

It’s been reported that 50% of the population is deficient in vitamin D, so you may want to look into a supplement to help your body absorb healing calcium for your bones. 

Some good sources of vitamin D include: salmon, sardines, swordfish, liver, fortified milk or yogurt, egg yolks, and fortified orange juice.

5. Vitamin C

As we mentioned above, collagen is the protein that's the most important building block for your bones. And collagen and vitamin C have a very important relationship. Vitamin C helps your body make collagen, which makes it one of the best supplements for broken bones healing.

You can also get plenty of vitamin C through your diet with a number of fruits and veggies. Just know that aged or heated produce tends to lose some of its vitamin C content, so it’s best to go for fresh or frozen produce. 

Some food sources of vitamin C include: citrus fruits, kiwi, berries, tomatoes, peppers, potatoes, and green vegetables.

6. Zinc

Zinc is a mineral that is a vital component in the creation of new bone tissue cells, which makes it great to take when you have a broken bone. 

It is recommended to get your zinc intake from foods rather than supplements because high-dose zinc supplements can cause nausea and vomiting.

If you think you need zinc supplements for broken bones healing, consult with your doctor first to mitigate symptoms. 

Some good sources of zinc include: meat, fish, poultry, dairy foods, whole grain breads and cereals, legumes, and nuts.

7. High fiber foods 

You might think that high fiber foods sound strange in our list for bone health, but many people are on pain medications after breaking their bones – and these medications can cause constipation. 

You should drink plenty of water to counteract the effects of pain medication, but prunes and prune juice can also have a natural laxative effect. 

Some good sources of fiber include: high-fiber whole grain cereals, legumes, and fresh fruits and vegetables. 

8. Vitamin K

Vitamin K is next on our list of supplements for broken bones healing. That’s because vitamin K is a bone-boosting nutrient with benefits that are similar to vitamin D. Vitamin K can help to remodel your bones, which is important when healing from breaks or fractures. 

Women are recommended to get 90 mcg of vitamin K per day and men should aim for 120 mcg. You should speak with your doctor to see if vitamin K supplements are what you should take to improve your bone health after injury. 

Some good sources of vitamin K include: broccoli, kale, spinach, brussels sprouts, lettuce, collard greens, and eggs. 

9. Magnesium

Did you know that around 60% of your body’s magnesium is stored in your bone tissue? It’s an incredibly important mineral for bone health. In fact, studies have shown that people with higher levels of magnesium have more bone mass than people with lower levels of magnesium in their diet. 

Of course, there can be too much of a good thing when it comes to magnesium, so if you plan to take these supplements for broken bones healing, you should consult with a doctor about the proper dosage. 

Some good sources of magnesium include: spinach, almonds, avocado, bananas, nuts, and pumpkin seeds. 

11. Iron

You may heal more slowly from a break or fracture if you have iron-deficient anemia – which means you don’t have enough healthy red blood cells. Getting enough iron in your diet can help to counteract that. 

Of course, some people have anemia in the first place because they don’t absorb iron from their food as efficiently as they are supposed to. If that is the case with you, you should speak with your doctor about iron supplements for broken bones healing, 

Some good sources of iron include: red meat, dark-meat chicken or turkey, oily fish, eggs, dried fruits, leafy green veggies, whole-grain breads, and fortified cereals.

12. Potassium

As we learned above, calcium is important when it comes to your bone health. And, as luck would have it, potassium makes it so that you don't lose as much calcium when you pee.

Some good sources of potassium include: bananas, orange juice, potatoes, nuts, seeds, fish, meat, and milk.

What not to eat for bone healing 

If you’re working to find foods and supplements for broken bones healing, you certainly don’t want to set your healing process back. That’s why it’s a good idea to cut back on (or cut out) the following things while healing from a broken bone:

Alcohol: You don’t have to cut out alcoholic drinks altogether then healing from a broken bone, but it's a good idea to reduce your intake. That’s because alcoholic beverages can slow down bone healing. And, if you drink too much alcohol, your impaired balance can make you more prone to falling and reinjuring your bone. 

Salt: If you have too much salt in your diet it can cause you to lose extra calcium when you pee. You need calcium for proper bone health, so cut back on salt and aim for 1 tsp per day. 

Coffee: A large intake of caffeine can slow down bone healing, and also cause you to lose more calcium through your urine. But don’t worry coffee lovers! You don’t need to cut out coffee altogether. Just aim for less than 4 cups a day. A moderate intake should be fine. 

Heal your bones in record time 

So there you have it! You have a great list of food and supplements for broken bones healing to speak with your doctor about at your next appointment. With some extra vitamin intake, a high-protein diet, and daily hydrolyzed collagen supplements, you could be well on your way to healing.