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Can You Prevent, Even Turn Around, Osteoporosis? |
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by Linda Page, N.D., Ph.D.
 Osteoporosis affects up to 44 million
Americans. Long considered a woman’s
problem because of its female hormone
involvement, osteoporosis affects from 35 to 50
percent of women in the first five years after
menopause. Men also suffer in far more substantial
numbers than once believed. By age 75,
one-third of all men are affected by osteoporosis.
Most people have no idea their bones are
becoming progressively weaker and more brittle
until they actually sustain an injury or fracture.
Are drugs the answer?
Over 800,000 women in the U.S. today take
Fosamax (Alendronate sodium), the first nonhormonal
drug approved to treat osteoporosis.
Fosamax belongs to a class of drugs called
“bisphosphonates” which inhibit the action of
osteoclasts, the cells in the skeleton that break
down bone.
Esophageal injury caused by this drug is a
real threat. And now, leading health
experts believe Fosamax actually
blocks bone resorption, the process which removes weakening bones to allow space for new healthly bone growth.
Long before the introduction
of Fosamax, the
leading drug treatment for osteoporosis was
based on HRT (hormone replacement therapy).
Today it is still strongly promoted; many
menopausal women are so afraid of osteoporosis
that with a little coaxing from their physicians
they begin taking hormone drugs right away. Of
those, about 60 percent discontinue the therapy
because of side effects or fear of cancer!
What causes osteoporosis?
The answers may surprise you. There is no question
that hormones are involved in
bone building and bone loss, but declining
estrogen levels after menopause do not by themselves
cause osteoporosis. Although some tests
find estrogen does inhibit bone cell death, other
tests find that as many as 15 percent of women
on estrogen therapy continue to lose bone.
Estrogen isn’t the only hormone involved in
bone building. The hormone progesterone actually
increases bone density in clinical tests. Some
medical experts find progesterone therapy even
reverses osteoporosis in some women. In addition,
low androgen levels of DHEA and testosterone
also play a role in bone loss,
particularly in men’s osteoporosis.
You can learn more about your own
bone health. Get a bone mineral
density (BMD) measurement
test through
your doctor or local pharmacy.
Or check your
osteoporosis risk by a simple
test. Use pH paper (found in
some laboratory supply stores and college bookstores)
to test your urine pH. A habitual reading
below pH 7 (acid) usually means calcium and
bone loss. Above pH 7 (alkaline) indicates a low
risk.
After more than 20 years of working with
osteoporosis, I find the most successful
treatment involves not only balancing (normalizing)
hormone levels but also
improving lifestyle and dietary
habits that we know accelerate
bone loss. Following are
some of the dangerous
lifestyle and dietary habits
to avoid.
Poor Nutrition
A low nutrition, processed foods diet sets the
stage for bone loss.
Minerals are important. Lack of minerals
means low thyroid function and poor collagen
protein development, which contribute to osteoporosis.
Osteoporosis is highly bound to foodenzyme
activity. If you don’t eat enough fresh
plant foods, you probably have low enzymes and
poor digestion. I find this is especially true for
older men at risk who try to correct digestive
problems with handfuls of antacids.
There is a clear relationship between
high protein consumption and osteoporosis.
According to The Journal of the American Dietetic
Association, when protein consumption is doubled,
calcium loss increases 50 percent.
Over-acid blood from overeating red meats,
sodas, caffeine foods and alcohol puts you at risk
for bone loss. Soda warning: USDA research finds
that men who consume five cans of cola a day
for three months absorb less calcium, increasing
risk for bone deterioration and injuries or
breaks.
Got milk? If your diet is high in milk and
dairy products you may be MORE at risk for
osteoporosis! A 12-year Harvard Nurses Health
study of over 78,000 women reveals that high
intake of milk and dairy products does NOT
reduce bone breaks. In fact, proteins in milk can
actually CAUSE calcium loss through the urine.
Constant dieting may be weakening your
bones. A recent study shows that for each 10
percent drop in weight, there is a two-fold
increase in the risk of hip fractures in older
women. When blood calcium levels become low
from a severe weight loss diet, bones release their
calcium to keep the rest of the body running
smoothly. Even taking calcium supplements
may not be enough to maintain bone mass during
dieting. Women who crash diet regularly
show up with estrogen deficiency, also involved
in bone loss.
Poor Lifestyle Habits
- Too little exercise stunts healthy bone development.
- Too little sunlight means less vitamin D is available for bone building.
- Smoking interferes with your body’s calcium and estrogen production. A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine reveals women smokers have 10 percent lower bone density and are more vulnerable to fractures than non-smokers.
- Depression may cause bone loss. German researchers find men and women with a history of severe depression have 15 percent lower bone density in their lower spines than non-depressed people.
- Overusing steroids or antibiotics severely reduces mineral absorption.
- Believe it or not, drinking fluoridated water is another risk factor. New studies link hip fractures to fluoridated water. Here’s why: Fluoridated water literally leaches calcium from the bones.
Warning Signs
Since bone loss is greatest in the spine, hips and
ribs, osteoporosis symptoms begin to show up as
chronic back and leg pain. Bone pain may also
occur in the spine, affecting the cranial nerves.
Bone tends to draw away from the teeth,
causing them to loosen and, in some instances,
fall out. Unusual or unusually frequent dental
problems are also a sign.
Vision defects or facial tics may also occur
due to bone marrow obliteration.
You don’t have to let osteoporosis steal your
health.
Start today to build up your bones, even if
you’ve already been diagnosed with the disease.
Here are the best, most thoroughly researched
natural therapies for osteoporosis treatment and
prevention I know of today.
My Healthy Healing Program for Almost Unbreakable Bones
The following recommendations are effective
for bone strength against osteoporosis and as
part of a healing program to arrest and improve
the disease in every stage. Specific recommendations
are noted for men and women.
Start with diet improvements.
Avoid high salt foods (most snack foods and
processed foods) and alcohol; both are linked to
osteoporosis.
Reduce your protein intake from red meat
and dairy products. They disrupt
pH balance and lead to mineral
loss. Protein from fresh fish,
legumes, vegetables and sea
greens is better assimilated.
Have a green superfood drink daily for super nutrition and system alkalizing. Drink more high nutrient juices, especially carrot and orange.
One 8-ounce glass of fresh, organic carrot juice
has 300–400 mg of bioavailable, high assimilation
calcium. (An 8-ounce glass of fortified
milk only has about 250 mg with low assimilation.)
Add sea greens to your diet, like nori,
wakame, dulse, kombu and kelp (2 tablespoons
daily, snipped into salads, soups, rice,
even pizzas, or take capsules). Sea greens
offer bone-building minerals and fat soluble
vitamins, like D and K, which boost your
adrenal glands production of steroidal hormones
like estrogen, progesterone and
DHEA, prime supports for bone health during
menopause.
Research published in the British Journal of
Rheumatology shows men’s osteoporosis often
results from malabsorption of nutrients.
Sprouted grains are a good way for men to
increase their enzyme action and nutrient
assimilation. Men really benefit from enzyme
therapy. Add a targeted, high potency enzyme
supplement daily.
Eat high vitamin C foods regularly like kiwis,
oranges, grapefruit and potatoes to stimulate
collagen production for added bone strength
and flexibility.
Boost your minerals.
Calcium isn’t the only mineral involved in bone
health—clearly many minerals are important to
bone density. Modern farming techniques
regularly leach minerals from the soil; hardly
anyone gets enough minerals from foods today.
Massive water fluoridation across the U.S.
means many Americans are losing even more
calcium with every sip of their tap water. Your
bones need a full range of minerals and supportive
nutrients for ongoing health from
veggies like broccoli, kale and collard greens,
and herbs like oatstraw, kelp, dulse, burdock,
dandelion, borage seed and lobelia. I’m a firm
believer that for maximum bone building,
high quality plant mineral supplements are
necessary.
Women, consider a mineral-rich herbal
formula with supportive plant-hormone
protection. For men who don’t get enough
minerals from their diet or who live in a fluoridated
community—an electrolyte mineral
formulation helps shore up deficiencies.
Silica therapy helps. Silica strengthens the
entire connective tissue system, including
collagen, ligaments, bones, hair and skin. Silica
therapy bonus: healthier, shiny hair, stronger
nails and soft, supple skin.
Note: Avoid fluorescent lighting, electric
blankets, aluminum cookware, non-filtered
computer screens, etc. All tend to leach calcium
from the body.
Hormone balancing (not merely replacing)
therapy is a key.
Even though estrogen has been the mainstay of
conventional therapy, progesterone increases
bone mass and may even reverse osteoporosis in
some women.
The supplement ipriflavone, synthesized
from isoflavones (natural plant estrogens), is a
new leader in natural osteoporosis treatment.
Studies find ipriflavone inhibits bone cell
death and may even increase new bone growth.
Note: Use ipriflavone with caution if you have
kidney disease. In addition, ipriflavone may
increase blood levels of certain prescription
drugs. Theophylline (for asthma), tolbutamide
(for diabetes), phenytoin (for epilepsy), warfarin
(a blood thinner), and caffeine have all been
implicated in this interaction. Ask your medical
doctor if you’re unsure.
For older men who may be at risk, I recommend
adding hormone recharging herbs like
sarsaparilla, saw palmetto, and panax ginseng,
one of the only known herbs to contain plant
testosterone.
Pump iron.
Studies find men and women who do regular
weight-bearing exercises have denser bones than
those who don’t. Bones can rebuild themselves
but only when they’re used. A sedentary lifestyle
increases osteoporosis risk. Power walking has
good clinical proof behind it for bones, so do
aerobic workouts like Tae Bo; weight-bearing
exercise three to four times a week can be
paramount to recovery from osteoporosis. It is
also an important preventive, particularly for
men and women under 35 whose bone mass is
still growing. Consult with a qualified health
professional to find out what exercises are right
for you.
Don’t wait to start taking care of your bones.
Osteoporosis CAN be prevented and arrested
with a natural healing program. For an even
more complete osteoporosis program, see my
new book, Cooking For Healthy Healing, Book
One—The Healing Diets. Available at stores, at
www.healthyhealing.com, or 888-447-2939.
Resources:
“Disease Statistics,” National Osteoporosis Foundation, 2002. “Put Osteoporosis Diagnosis and Treatment in Perspective,” The John R. Lee, M.D. Medical Letter, October 1998.
“Alendronate (Fosamax) Alert: New Drug May Cause Injury,” www.mayohealth.org , October 24, 1996. Soffa, Virginia M, M.Ed., “Alternative to Hormone Replacement for Menopause,” Alternatives Therapies, March 1996, Vol. 2, No. 2.
Harkness, Richard, Pharm., FASCP and Stephen Bratman, M.D. Drug-Herb-Vitamin Interactions Bible. Prima Publishing, c 2000.
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