You Can Overcome Osteoporosis - But You Need More Than Calcium

Thinning and brittle bones give rise to fractures. This affects a third of women and one out of every twelve men. It is a major cause of death.

At around the age of 35 bone mass peaks. From then on it declines, especially for females who have ten to fifteen percent less bone mass than men at skeletal maturity. There is an additional loss of bone mass for eight to ten years from a reduction in hormone levels at the menopause. Many choose to take Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), but this is not the answer. HRT increases the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, strokes and cancer.

The Problem With Calcium

Calcium is of course important. However osteoporosis is not a deficiency disease caused by a lack of calcium. It is not recommended to take calcium supplements on their own. There is no certainty that the calcium will end up in the bones. It could find its way into tissues instead. This may create its own health problems. Vitamin D certainly improves the absorption of calcium, but calcium has important synergistic relationships with a range of other minerals.

Magnesium Is Also Important

One third of the body's magnesium is found in tissues, two-thirds is found in the bones. Its role is crucial in calcium and bone metabolism. Bone strength, volume and development is decreased in deficiency states. A number of population studies show a positive association with bone mineral density (BMD).

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 Bone Growth

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 Silicon, Zinc & Copper

Silicon is a rigid substance and the body uses it at the calcification sites of bones. Zinc is required for bone to form normally. Copper works in association with zinc. A lack of this mineral can lead to defects in the bone and calcium loss. Iron may also have a role to play in bone formation.

Let's Not Forget Those Important Vitamins

Active calcium absorption in the intestines is facilitated by vitamin D, which is also involved with bone turnover. The status of vitamin D declines as we age and so deficiencies with ageing are common.

Vitamin K is also important in the metabolism of bone. It is required for bone formation, remodelling and repair. Epidemiological studies have shown that those people who lack vitamin K in the diet or in the circulation have a lower BMD or an increase in fractures.

Bone health can certainly be added to the long list of conditions that vitamin C can treat. It is required for the collageneous structure of the bone. Vitamin C may also protect the skeleton from oxidative stress especially for cigarette smokers. Smoking greatly increases 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 wide range of nutrients that goes well beyond just supplementing with calcium. This approach is likely to achieve more success than current orthodox treatments for osteoporosis.

Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com

About the Author: This article is a brief version of a larger article that can be located at complementary health. Michael Sellar is a British writer and editor of a newsletter for holistic health professionals. More articles can be viewed at nutrition articles 

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