This week on Health Watch, we’re talking about keeping your bones strong and healthy. While we usually think of osteoporosis as a women’s problem, that doesn’t mean men don’t need to take steps to keep their bones strong. Women are more likely to have thinning bones, but men are less likely to be diagnosed.

Dr. Khashayar Sakhaee, a mineral metabolism expert at UT Southwestern Medical Center, says men can help protect their bones by avoiding smoking, consuming alcohol in moderation, exercising and getting enough calcium and vitamin D. Men aged 30 to 50 need at least 1,000 milligrams of calcium a day, and men older than 50 need 1,200 milligrams a day. Men 50 to 70 need 400 to 800 I-U of vitamin D, but men older than 70 may need up to 1,000 I-U daily.