Question
dear expert,
yeasterday my daugher friend, 13 year old girl injured her wrist while playing with other girls. They put a cast on emr. There was a crack through the bone at the growth plate I was told.
The disturbing fact is that she had broken her wrists 3 times and ankle once over last 2 years. is there a food supplement/medication/herbs she might benefit strenghtening her bones ?

Answer
Hello Andrew

Unfortunately the human female has thinner bone mineral density than the human male. Smaller bodies, need smaller bones.

Here is what I would recommend for her;

Every day, take a daily multivitamin with minerals.

After the cast comes off, start a daily aerobics exercise progam. That will get the metabolism up. Include a daily stretching program and a daily balancing program.

Every other day, she needs to do a strength training exercise program, to make the bones stronger.

Here is an effective, but easy weightlifting program:

Buy a couple of 5 gallon pails at Home Depot. Put some water in each. NOT A LOT OF WATER. Have her pick up the pails and HOLD THEM for as long as she can. Goal is 60 seconds. Keep her elbows slightly bent, her knees slightly bent, her back bent over a bit. This will make the muscles hold the weight, not the bones. Do every other day. Once a week, add a little bit of water to the pails. As the pails get heavier and heavier, more and more muscles will help hold up the weight. The bones will also become stronger to help hold up the weight. It will take months, but she WILL get stronger, less likely to break something.

I know of no supplement that actually works that will help make bones stronger other than going to a doctor and getting a prescription. Nothing off the shelf without a prescription will work, and calcium supplements will not work. Your body makes calcium, exercise goes a long way in helping to make  the calcium your bones need.

Hope this helps. If you have any more questions, please write again.

Please tell your daughter and her friend that my thoughts and prayers are with her and her injuries.