Fractures caused by thinning and brittle bones affects one in three women and one in twelve men. It is a leading cause of death.
Bone mass reaches a peak at about the age of 35. After that it declines, especially for women who have 10 % - 15% less bone mass than men at skeletal maturity. There is then an accelerated loss of bone for up to a decade around the menopause when there is a decline in hormone levels. The answer is not Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). This increases the risk of heart attack, strokes, blood clots and cancer.
Calcium Can Cause Problems If Taken Alone
Calcium is known to be important. However osteoporosis is not a calcium deficiency disease. Taking a calcium supplement alone is not recommended. It won't necessarily be absorbed into the bone. Instead it may remain in the blood and end up in the tissues causing its own health problems. While absorption is improved with vitamin D, it also has close relationships with other minerals.
Magnesium Is Also Important
Two-thirds of the magnesium in the body is found in the bones. It plays a vital role in the metabolism of calcium and bone. A deficiency of magnesium decreases the strength of bone, its volume and its development. It is positively associated with bone mineral density (BMD) as has been demonstrated in a number of population studies.
Strontium Can Stimulate Bone Formation
In the early part of the 20th century studies showed strontium to be effective in stimulating rapid formation of bone and that strontium and calcium were superior to calcium alone in mineralizing bone.
Boron Helps Bones To Heal
Boron is important in retaining calcium. According to Dr Rex Newnham, a world authority on the mineral, boron "will help broken bones mend in about half the normal time."
Manganese Is Needed For The Growth Of Bone
Manganese is required to mineralise the bone. Blood manganese levels in osteoporotic women were found to be only 25% of those without osteoporosis. Deficiencies lead to abnormal bone and cartilage growth and degeneration of vertebral discs.
You Need Zinc, Copper & Silicon
Silicon is very rigid and is used by the body at calcification sites of bones. Zinc is necessary if bones are to form normally. Copper works in conjunction with zinc. Depletion leads to bone defects and calcium loss. Iron may also play an important role in bone formation.
Let's Not Forget Those Vitamins
Vitamin D is required for calcium to be absorbed in the intestines. It also helps regulate bone turnover. Deficiencies are quite common in the elderly since its status declines with age.
Vitamin K has an important role in bone metabolism. It is essential for bone formation, remodelling and repair. Several population studies show low dietary or circulating vitamin K is associated with low BMD or increased fractures.
Vitamin C is needed to make collagen within the bone structure. It may also offer some skeletal protection against free radicals and oxidative stress. This is especially the case for cigaretter smokers. Smoking is associated with an increase in the risk of hip fracture.
The bone remodelling process also requires vitamin A. Bone health is impaired with deficiencies.
A toxic byproduct of protein metabolism is called homocysteine. Studies suggest that the body is less able to convert it to less toxic compounds at the menopause. This means the body requires more folic acid to complete the task. Other vitamins which help lower homocysteine are vitamins B6 and B12.
And Finally
In conclusion, bone health depends on a sufficient supply of a wide range of nutrients that goes well beyond calcium and vitamin D. Such an approach is likely to be far more successful than current orthodox approaches which leave a lot to be desired.
Bone mass reaches a peak at about the age of 35. After that it declines, especially for women who have 10 % - 15% less bone mass than men at skeletal maturity. There is then an accelerated loss of bone for up to a decade around the menopause when there is a decline in hormone levels. The answer is not Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT). This increases the risk of heart attack, strokes, blood clots and cancer.
Calcium Can Cause Problems If Taken Alone
Calcium is known to be important. However osteoporosis is not a calcium deficiency disease. Taking a calcium supplement alone is not recommended. It won't necessarily be absorbed into the bone. Instead it may remain in the blood and end up in the tissues causing its own health problems. While absorption is improved with vitamin D, it also has close relationships with other minerals.
Magnesium Is Also Important
Two-thirds of the magnesium in the body is found in the bones. It plays a vital role in the metabolism of calcium and bone. A deficiency of magnesium decreases the strength of bone, its volume and its development. It is positively associated with bone mineral density (BMD) as has been demonstrated in a number of population studies.
Strontium Can Stimulate Bone Formation
In the early part of the 20th century studies showed strontium to be effective in stimulating rapid formation of bone and that strontium and calcium were superior to calcium alone in mineralizing bone.
Boron Helps Bones To Heal
Boron is important in retaining calcium. According to Dr Rex Newnham, a world authority on the mineral, boron "will help broken bones mend in about half the normal time."
Manganese Is Needed For The Growth Of Bone
Manganese is required to mineralise the bone. Blood manganese levels in osteoporotic women were found to be only 25% of those without osteoporosis. Deficiencies lead to abnormal bone and cartilage growth and degeneration of vertebral discs.
You Need Zinc, Copper & Silicon
Silicon is very rigid and is used by the body at calcification sites of bones. Zinc is necessary if bones are to form normally. Copper works in conjunction with zinc. Depletion leads to bone defects and calcium loss. Iron may also play an important role in bone formation.
Let's Not Forget Those Vitamins
Vitamin D is required for calcium to be absorbed in the intestines. It also helps regulate bone turnover. Deficiencies are quite common in the elderly since its status declines with age.
Vitamin K has an important role in bone metabolism. It is essential for bone formation, remodelling and repair. Several population studies show low dietary or circulating vitamin K is associated with low BMD or increased fractures.
Vitamin C is needed to make collagen within the bone structure. It may also offer some skeletal protection against free radicals and oxidative stress. This is especially the case for cigaretter smokers. Smoking is associated with an increase in the risk of hip fracture.
The bone remodelling process also requires vitamin A. Bone health is impaired with deficiencies.
A toxic byproduct of protein metabolism is called homocysteine. Studies suggest that the body is less able to convert it to less toxic compounds at the menopause. This means the body requires more folic acid to complete the task. Other vitamins which help lower homocysteine are vitamins B6 and B12.
And Finally
In conclusion, bone health depends on a sufficient supply of a wide range of nutrients that goes well beyond calcium and vitamin D. Such an approach is likely to be far more successful than current orthodox approaches which leave a lot to be desired.
About the Author:
Michael Sellar is a British health writer and editor of Enzyme Digest, a newsletter for alternative health professionals. He was previously a nutrition consultant. An expanded version of this article can be found at complementary health or at nutrition articles
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