Overview
Bone is a living, growing material. It is made of protein, calcium, minerals, nerves and blood vessels. Bones play many important roles in your body. Bones give support, structure, protect your organs, hold muscles and store calcium.
Your body is always getting rid of old bone and adding new bone. In young people, more bone is added than is taken out. But after the age of 30, the body gets rid of more bone naturally. This causes bones to become lighter and easier to break.
It is very important to build and maintain strong bones by making sure you get enough calcium and by doing weight-bearing exercises. This will help reduce the risk of bone problems as you get older.