Have you ever thought about what keeps you standing tall every day? It’s not your muscles or willpower alone, it’s your bones silently doing all the heavy lifting. Strong bones give us the freedom to walk, travel, dance or even do something as simple as climbing stairs without pain. But here’s the catch- Two of the most common lifestyle choices, smoking and drinking, can quietly eat away the foundation, leaving us weaker than we realise. And most of the time, the damage shows up only when it’s too late. Habits like lighting a cigarette or reaching for that extra drink may already be setting you up for brittle bones long before you hit 40.
In a conversation with The Daily Jagran, Dr. Ashis Acharya, Orthopaedics & Sports Medicine, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, New Delhi explained how alcohol and smoking weaken your bone structure.
Smoking: The Silent Killer
When we think about smoking, the first image that pops up is usually damaged lungs. But the chemicals in cigarettes don’t stop there; they travel through your bloodstream, cutting off oxygen and nutrients that bones desperately need. Over time, this slows down bone regeneration, lowers bone density and makes fractures harder to heal.
For women, the risks are even higher. Smoking reduces estrogen levels, the very hormone that protects against bone loss, that’s why women who smoke are more prone to osteoporosis and hip fracture later in life. Men are not spared either because it increases their chances of spine and hip injuries too.
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Alcohol: Weakening From Inside And Out
Alcohol is another culprit that quietly weakens your skeleton. It interferes with the absorption of calcium and Vitamin D, the two essentials for strong bones. Think of it this way: no matter how much calcium you are taking in through food, alcohol makes it harder for your body to use it.
The doctor informed that heavy drinking also disrupts hormones that regulate bone health and when paired with the risk of accidents while intoxicated, the likelihood of fractures multiplies. Studies show that chronic drinkers heal fractures much more slowly, sometimes taking double the time compared to non-drinkers.
Why does this matter now?
The notion that bone problems only occur in old age is a myth. With desk jobs, late-night lifestyles and higher rates of smoking and drinking among young adults, bone health issues are showing up earlier than ever. Bones should peak in strength in your 20s and 30s but poor lifestyle choices are shaving years off that timeline.
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What needs to be done?
The good news is that bones are living tissue, so quitting smoking, cutting down on alcohol and pairing it with regular exercise and a diet rich in calcium and vitamin D will surely help your bones get stronger again. So, the next time you light up or pour yourself another drink, remember it’s not just your lungs or liver you are hurting, you are weakening the very structure that holds you up every single day.