What Helps Broken Bones Heal Faster: Home Remedies?

What does bone healing mean?

Why do we seek to heale bones? Mainly for two reasons:

• To combat osteoporosis, bone demineralization.
• To recover more quickly from a fracture, when a bone is broken or cracked, or when an ankle sprain involves bone avulsion.

Healing bones to prevent a fracture (osteoporosis)?

What is present in our bones, in bone tissue (= what makes up bones)?

• Primarily minerals like calcium and phosphate.
• Proteins and collagen that give it strength.

As we age, our bones undergo changes, evolving. Bone density decreases: this means there are fewer minerals in the bones.

This makes the bones more fragile and more prone to fractures.

This is what we call osteoporosis. Some diseases or specific health conditions (such as malnutrition) can also cause osteoporosis even at a young age, even in children.

Some people, perhaps including yourself, are therefore looking for solutions (preferably natural) to try to limit this loss of bone density, especially to reduce the risk of having a fracture from a fall.

Accelerating Bone Healing After a Fracture?

When we break a bone (= fracture), our bodies are well-designed: without doing anything special, processes are set in motion to allow the bone to repair and consolidate.

If there are multiple bone fragments, they can join together, fuse.

The same goes for stress fractures, not related to a fall or a sudden accident, but to repeated stresses over time on the bone.

Some people seek ways to accelerate this process of healing and natural consolidation of bones after a fracture. And here again, if possible, naturally.

In the rest of the article, I will focus on natural solutions and treatments / grandmother’s recipes to consolidate bones in the case of osteoporosis or fractures.

What are the commonly proposed home remedies for bone healing?

Here is the list of remedies often suggested on natural product sales websites, in magazines, or even on websites run or supervised by health professionals:

• a green clay poultice;
• foods rich in vitamin D or dietary supplements;
• consumption of a lot of dairy products;
• comfrey (= Symphytum officinale), a medicinal plant, or other plants or herbal solutions, especially those rich in silica, magnesium (see: magnesium side effects), or calcium, such as nettle;
• essential oils, aromatherapy: Italian helichrysum, mastic, garden marjoram, etc.;
• eggshells dissolved in lemon juice;
• homeopathy;
• drinking herbal teas;
• reiki, qi gong, acupuncture, yoga, or other “alternative medicines.”

Personally, to decide whether to turn to a treatment or not, I like to make sure beforehand:

that its effectiveness is plausible, consistent with what is known about the molecules/ingredients it contains and with the functioning of the human body.

For example, consuming more minerals found in bones seems plausible to consolidate our bones since they are made up of minerals. But it is still necessary to consume them in sufficient quantities, and our body must retain and distribute them to the bones…;

that it has been tested in clinical studies to see if it really has a concrete effect on the intended outcome.

For example, here, preventing a fracture or consolidating more quickly. Because even if someone in my entourage tells me that it worked for him/her, I give even more importance to studies that have tested this on more people, trying to control other things that could have influenced as well;

that there are no significant side effects associated with its use;

that it requires as little dependence on someone as possible (this is something more personal) or that it is not expensive.

Very often, the websites we come across on the internet do not provide answers to these questions. Or the statements are not sourced.

My goal here is to give you answers precisely on these 3 points so that you can then form your own opinion on the interest of turning to such or such a remedy in your case 🙂.

What do studies say about effective natural treatments to heale bones?

Know that bone healing is something quite well studied by research teams, including natural solutions without medication!

Here is an illustration:

I, therefore, went to look at what the study syntheses on the subject said.

Here is a selection of what seemed most relevant to me on the subject we are interested in in this article.

First and foremost, regular physical activity is recommended in all age groups to maximize peak bone mass and maintain bone strength. (…)

An adequate amount of daily calcium and vitamin D is necessary to maximize bone mass and ensure the subsequent maintenance of bone health in postmenopausal women and elderly men. At least 1,200 mg of calcium per day and 800 to 1,000 international units of vitamin D per day.

Pouresmaeli 2018

There are no specific studies on people who have had a fracture. Probably because it is unlikely that substance consumption has time to act in such a short period, in a few weeks (bone healing is often already well advanced without doing anything special in 6 weeks).

I then went into more detail to fill in the following table:

Suggested Home Remedy	Plausibility	Effectiveness when tested in well-conducted studies	Side Effects	Accessibility and Cost
Green Clay Poultice	Low plausibility that the substance can penetrate the bones and strengthen them	Not tested to prevent fractures or accelerate their healing	Low risk	Inexpensive and can be applied independently
Dietary Supplements, Probiotics	Depends on the substance. The most studied (and therefore likely to be effective): vitamin D and calcium	–	–	–
Vitamin D (+ Calcium)	Plausible: calcium is one of the substances for good bone density, and vitamin D helps calcium to bind to the bones	In menopausal women and elderly men: no fewer fractures in those taking vitamin D unless vitamin D is combined with calcium (Cochrane 2014). No interest in non-menopausal women to prevent fractures (Cochrane 2023)	Sometimes, intestinal issues or kidney problems	Inexpensive and can be taken independently
Foods and Plants Rich in Minerals, Fish Oil, Olive Oil, Medicinal Herbs	Plausible, but quantities ingested must be certain (the purpose of dietary supplements)	Several studies but difficult to draw conclusions (Muñoz 2020)	Sometimes, variable depending on substances, intestinal issues in particular	Inexpensive, easily obtainable
Essential Oils	Low plausibility in terms of concentrations/quantities consumed	Theoretical publications but nothing empirical (tested on real people)	Sometimes, intestinal issues in particular	Can be expensive
Dairy Products	Plausible, but quantities ingested must be certain (the purpose of dietary supplements)	No specific study, general studies on diet in general	–	–
Homeopathy	Low plausibility in terms of concentrations/quantities consumed	Studies on rats and in vivo	Low risk	Inexpensive
Herbal Teas	Low plausibility in terms of concentrations/quantities consumed	Not tested	Low risk	Inexpensive
Eggshells Dissolved in Lemon Juice	Low plausibility: Calcium in eggshells is mainly in the form of calcium carbonate, which may not be easily absorbed by the body, even if citric acid from lemon is there to facilitate absorption	Not tested	Low risk	Inexpensive
Reiki	Low plausibility	Not tested	Low risk	Dependency on a third person
Acupuncture	Low plausibility	See, for example, Tian 2022. There are studies on the effects of acupuncture on osteoporosis but with significant methodological biases	Sometimes, pain and bleeding in the days following	Dependency on a third person
🥇 Being Active, Engaging Muscles, Physical Exercise	Plausible: when our muscles are engaged, they exert force on the bones, stimulating bone cells	In menopausal women: 4 fewer women out of 100 who exercise had a fracture (compared to those who don’t exercise); people who exercise have an average of 1.03% less bone loss than those who don’t (Cochrane 2011)	Sometimes, pain related to movements or intensity inappropriate for our level	Can be done independently at home, requires finding motivation
Qi Gong, Yoga, Tai Chi	Low plausibility (beyond the simple effectiveness of moving, doing physical activity)	Tai Chi is among the often-evaluated physical exercises; it is neither more nor less effective than any other physical activity that engages muscles and the heart (Cochrane 2014)	Sometimes, pain related to movements or intensity inappropriate for our level	Can be done independently at home, requires finding motivation

But it was important for me to present things in this way, depending on the level of detail you want on the subject. If you want to delve even deeper, I provide links to scientific publications on the subject at the end of the article.

Examples of home remedies to strengthen bones

What foods help to heal broken bones? We’ve seen that the two substances most likely to affect bone density are:

• Vitamin D;
• Calcium.

In studies, the intake of these substances is primarily tested in the form of dietary supplements. Simply because it’s easier to control the quantity people consume. With dietary supplements, the amount consumed is ensured.

Some people prefer not to take dietary supplements and instead pay attention to their diet to ensure it’s rich enough in calcium and vitamin D. All while exposing themselves to sunlight in a reasonable manner (to promote the production of vitamin D). I understand this desire.

But I think it’s very difficult to be sure of the quantity consumed by doing so.

You can certainly try to consume foods rich in vitamin D/calcium:

• Fatty fish like salmon and trout;
• Green vegetables like broccoli, spinach;
• Tofu and other soy-based meat substitutes;
• Almonds and other nuts, etc.

Although there are foods rich in vitamin D and calcium, it’s challenging to control the quantity consumed to be sure it’s enough to expect an effect.

Moreover, an excess consumption of certain foods can expose to certain discomforts (mainly digestive issues).

Some studies assess the effect of vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean diets, etc. But it’s challenging to establish a clear link between adopting a particular diet and having better bone health, as individuals adopting these diets have very different dietary practices!

Source: Muñoz 2020

Are there foods that are bad for the bones?

We don’t have evidence that the consumption of certain foods significantly impairs bone quality, increases the risk of fractures, or prolongs the consolidation duration in the case of a broken bone.

Salt, sugar, and inorganic phosphate additives (often found in highly processed meats, fish, and yogurts, as well as in sodas, etc.) are substances not recommended for people with osteoporosis and osteopenia, without strong evidence of a truly significant negative effect. Moreover, it is nearly impossible to eliminate these substances from one’s diet (Rondanelli 2021).

On the other hand, the consumption of alcohol and tobacco increases the risk of fractures, even in young people.

The risk is higher for those who smoke 6 to 10 cigarettes a day and even more for those who smoke more than 21.

For alcohol, the risk increases from 400 grams per week (= 4 glasses of wine per day, every day). Source: Prieto 2019

Also, even 4 weeks without tobacco can have a positive influence on bone healing. After a surgically treated fracture, people who quit smoking have fewer infections and complications (such as non-union) than those who continue (Roberts 2020).

What to do that works to speed up bone healing or strengthen bones?

I understand the desire to find something natural, easy to implement, and quick to consolidate bones.

However, most traditional remedies probably have no short or long-term effect on bone healing.

Here’s a summary of what can be done and is most likely to have an effect.

If you have osteoporosis and/or are over 65 and have a fracture:

• Limit your tobacco consumption as much as possible.
• Limit your alcohol consumption as much as possible.
• Stay as active as possible (ideally at least 150 minutes per week of moderate physical activity that causes breathlessness).
• Take vitamin D and calcium (or ensure you have enough in your diet and sun exposure, which is often challenging to quantify): 800 to 1000 IU (international units) of vitamin D per day and 1000 to 1200 mg of calcium per day.

If you have a fracture, but are under 65 and do not have osteoporosis:

• limit your tobacco consumption as much as possible:
• limit alcohol consumption as much as possible:
• stay as active as possible.

***

Here’s what I wanted to tell you about this! I wish you a very good recovery! Do you have any comments or questions? Your comments are welcome 🙂 !

You may also like:

• Stage of Bone Healing: How Long Does it Last?
• All my blog post about fractures and healing

 📚 SOURCES

Howe TE, Shea B, Dawson LJ, Downie F, Murray A, Ross C, Harbour RT, Caldwell LM, Creed G. Exercise for preventing and treating osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2011, Issue 7. Art. No.: CD000333. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000333.pub2

Avenell A, Mak JCS, O’Connell DL. Vitamin D and vitamin D analogues for preventing fractures in post‐menopausal women and older men. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2014, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD000227. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000227.pub4. Accessed 25 August 2023.

Méndez-Sánchez L, Clark P, Winzenberg TM, Tugwell P, Correa-Burrows P, Costello R. Calcium and vitamin D for increasing bone mineral density in premenopausal women. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2023, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD012664. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD012664.pub2. Accessed 25 August 2023.

Pouresmaeili F, Kamalidehghan B, Kamarehei M, Goh YM. A comprehensive overview on osteoporosis and its risk factors. Ther Clin Risk Manag. 2018 Nov 6;14:2029-2049. doi: 10.2147/TCRM.S138000. PMID: 30464484; PMCID: PMC6225907.

Tian Y, Wang L, Xu T, Li R, Zhu R, Chen B, Zhang H, Xia B, Che Y, Zhao D, Zhang D. Acupuncture for Osteoporosis: a Review of Its Clinical and Preclinical Studies. J Acupunct Meridian Stud. 2022 Oct 31;15(5):281-299. doi: 10.51507/j.jams.2022.15.5.281. PMID: 36521826.

Albrecht BM, Stalling I, Foettinger L, Recke C, Bammann K. Adherence to Lifestyle Recommendations for Bone Health in Older Adults with and without Osteoporosis: Cross-Sectional Results of the OUTDOOR ACTIVE Study. Nutrients. 2022 Jun 14;14(12):2463. doi: 10.3390/nu14122463. PMID: 35745193; PMCID: PMC9228189.

Almeida JD, Arisawa EA, Balducci I, da Rocha RF, Carvalho YR. Homeopathic treatment for bone regeneration: experimental study. Homeopathy. 2009 Apr;98(2):92-6. doi: 10.1016/j.homp.2009.02.010. PMID: 19358962.

Dey D, Jingar P, Agrawal S, Shrivastava V, Bhattacharya A, Manhas J, Garg B, Ansari MT, Mridha AR, Sreenivas V, Khurana A, Sen S. Symphytum officinale augments osteogenesis in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in vitro as they differentiate into osteoblasts. J Ethnopharmacol. 2020 Feb 10;248:112329. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2019.112329. Epub 2019 Oct 28. PMID: 31672526.

Prieto-Alhambra D, Turkiewicz A, Reyes C, Timpka S, Rosengren B, Englund M. Smoking and Alcohol Intake but Not Muscle Strength in Young Men Increase Fracture Risk at Middle Age: A Cohort Study Linked to the Swedish National Patient Registry. J Bone Miner Res. 2020 Mar;35(3):498-504. doi: 10.1002/jbmr.3917. Epub 2019 Dec 4. PMID: 31714618.

Muñoz-Garach A, García-Fontana B, Muñoz-Torres M. Nutrients and Dietary Patterns Related to Osteoporosis. Nutrients. 2020 Jul 3;12(7):1986. doi: 10.3390/nu12071986. PMID: 32635394; PMCID: PMC7400143.

Ilesanmi-Oyelere BL, Kruger MC. Nutrient and Dietary Patterns in Relation to the Pathogenesis of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis-A Literature Review. Life (Basel). 2020 Sep 25;10(10):220. doi: 10.3390/life10100220. PMID: 32992740; PMCID: PMC7600848.

Rondanelli M, Faliva MA, Barrile GC, Cavioni A, Mansueto F, Mazzola G, Oberto L, Patelli Z, Pirola M, Tartara A, Riva A, Petrangolini G, Peroni G. Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Dietary Supplementation to Prevent Bone Mineral Density Loss: A Food Pyramid. Nutrients. 2021 Dec 24;14(1):74. doi: 10.3390/nu14010074. PMID: 35010952; PMCID: PMC8746518.

Roberts, C. S., & Falls, T. D. (2012). Talking turkey: Fracture care and smoking cessation. Injury, 43(3), 257–258. doi:10.1016/j.injury.2012.01.018 

Maria Florencia Scioscia and others, Severe Bone Microarchitecture Impairment in Women With Pregnancy and Lactation-Associated Osteoporosis, Journal of the Endocrine Society, Volume 5, Issue 5, May 2021, bvab031, https://doi.org/10.1210/jendso/bvab031