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Saving Bones…Saving Lives (Part 1)

 

Nobody wants to break a bone. We don’t want the pain and casts and crutches and limits on what we can do. In fact, you may have firsthand experience with a broken bone—most of us do. But now step back and imagine: what if your broken bone never healed? What if it was broken for the rest of your life? What if you could not get out of bed because of your bones? Further, what if your inability to move resulted in a lethal pneumonia? These are some of the very real risks of osteoporosis. And this is why we have to aggressively protect and strengthen our bones. Our bone health is as crucial to our lives as our heart, lung or kidney health—yet we often fail to consider our bones until they are already starting to weaken. In this week’s Terry Talks Nutrition, we are honored to have as our guest Dr. Jacob Teitelbaum as the author of an in-depth two part series on bones. Dr. Teitelbaum is a board certified internist and Medical Director of the national Fibromyalgia and Fatigue Centers of America. He is the author of the perennial best-seller From Fatigued to Fantastic! which has sold over half a million copies. His most recent book, Beat Sugar Addiction Now! is rapidly becoming one of the most important references on addressing the blood sugar epidemic. Dr. Teitelbaum lectures to patient, physician and research groups internationally on a wide variety of health concerns, and we are happy to have him share with us his thoughts on how to keep bones healthy and help bones that are not.   ~ Terry Lemerond

Osteoporosis and Osteopenia = Loss of Bone Density
Loss of bone density means loss of bone thickness, density and strength. When it is mild, it is called osteopenia, and when it is severe, it is called osteoporosis. However, these are merely different spots on the same spectrum. Problems with bones are increasing and are more common as our population ages and becomes more sedentary. It is also even often seen in young people with chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia or pain issues. Loss of bone density tends to continue in only one direction—downward—unless something is done to stop it.  Although drug companies mostly promote expensive (and sometimes toxic) medications to both patients and physicians, the good news is that simple, safe and cheap natural remedies are even MORE effective than medications! It is easy to treat osteoporosis safely, effectively, and naturally—and without toxic side effects. Osteoporosis can worsen with age, inactivity, and hormonal deficiencies (estrogen, testosterone, and DHEA). Currently, the rate of osteoporosis among post-menopausal women is estimated to be about 29 percent. Yet only 13 percent of these women have been diagnosed with the disease. Osteoporosis can be easily diagnosed by performing a simple test called a DEXA scan. Fortunately, many treatments can be effective at restoring bone strength and even at eliminating osteoporosis pain. Although using calcium to increase bone density has received most of the media attention, it is actually a rather small player when it comes to improving bone strength—and taken by itself is associated with an increased risk of heart attack. In addition to weight-bearing exercise, many other nutrients and treatments can dramatically improve bone density and decrease bone pain, while keeping your heart healthy. Sadly, except for calcium, most doctors only hear about expensive biphosphonate prescription medications such as Fosamax®. Although these drugs can increase bone density in the short run in people with established osteoporosis, I would certainly start first by adding the nutrients that your body needs to make strong bones. These expensive bone drugs lose effectiveness after 5 years, and ironically, they increase bone fractures from brittle bones at that point. There are also certain necrotic bone and jaw problems (death of bone tissue) that can occur with their use. The good news is that nutritional support can be taken with the medication or instead of the medication, if approved by your doctor. I always start with nutritional interventions!

Nutrients Critical for Bone Health
There are many nutrients that are critical for bone production. Choose an excellent multi that gives you good forms of the B vitamins and vitamin C.  (I prefer energy revitalizing-types of powders that can be blended into a morning drink. For more information on multivitamins, feel free to visit my website, www.endfatigue.com under the “nutrition overview” tab in Health A-Z). In addition, it is very important to add a bone formula, strontium, and omega 3 fatty acids. In part one, let’s review the bone formula nutrients needed and why.

Calcium, 400 to 650 mg daily.
I like calcium citrate and malate in a blend, for both absorption and utilization. If you are taking thyroid hormone supplements, do not take the calcium within 2-4 hours of the thyroid hormone or you will not absorb the thyroid hormone. In addition, make sure that your Free T4 thyroid blood test (not the TSH test) is not above the upper limit of normal because too high a thyroid dose can also cause osteoporosis. You may choose to take your calcium at meals and/or bedtime, because it is better absorbed with food, and calcium taken at night can help you to sleep. Do not take calcium unless also taking magnesium and Vitamin D, as calcium by itself is associated with an increased risk of heart attacks!

Vitamin D-3 (cholecalciferol) 4,000 IU.
The research on vitamin D is exploding. In a few short years, this meek vitamin we thought we understood has turned out to be a superhero with powerful abilities we never expected. Studies have shown that vitamin D plays a role in cancer prevention and treatment; in development of neurological diseases, especially multiple sclerosis; in immune function and cold and flu prevention; and for preventing osteoporosis. While it was always known that vitamin D played a starring role in healthy bone development, the amounts in supplementation were too minimal to have full effects. In recent research, it has been found that combining vitamin D with calcium reduced falls by 60% when compared to calcium alone. Why would it prevent falls? Well, in osteoporosis, you don’t often fall and break a bone. Your bone breaks, and you fall. By giving the bones the strength they need to prevent breaking while walking, you greatly decrease falls. Even the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) which can be quite slow to embrace natural interventions, states: “Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial to develop optimal peak bone mass and to preserve bone mass throughout life.”

Vitamin K2, also called menaquinone, 45 mcg.
Vitamin K2 is crucial to bone development, primarily in its role as a “guide” for calcium. In simple terms, it helps calcium get into the bone, but directs calcium away from building up on the inside of arteries. That means this form of vitamin K, extracted from the fermented soy food Natto, is good for both building bone AND preventing heart disease.  Menaquinone is a very effective part of the vitamin K family. Professors Cees Vermeer and Leon Schurgers, of VitaK, at Maastricht University, the Netherlands, a leading research institute specializing in the role of vitamin K in the field of bone and cardiovascular health, provided the statement “There are two vitamins known to be involved in calcium metabolism: vitamin D and vitamin K. Increased calcium intake, especially if combined with vitamin D, results in increased absorption of calcium.”

Magnesium (as a chelate for absorption) 200 mgs.
For starters, magnesium is simply critical for life. It is involved in hundreds of different body functions, but is routinely low in the American diet as a result of food processing. The average American diet supplies less than 300 milligrams of magnesium per day, while the average Asian diet supplies over 600 milligrams per day. The second highest concentration of minerals in the bone is magnesium, and it is necessary for maintaining bone strength and bone rebuilding. A challenge with magnesium is that if it is not fully absorbed, it can cause loose stools. That is why I like chelated (“chelate” means “bound to” and in this case, it is bound to amino acids) forms of magnesium.

Boron (Fructo-borate) 12.5 mgs.
Fructo-borate is a complex of boron and a tiny amount of fruit sugar, a carbohydrate that occurs naturally in many fruits and vegetables that is highly stable, non-toxic, and bioavailable. It is a micro nutrient that is thought to aid in vitamin D metabolism, prostate health and regulation of steroid hormones. In a recent study, conducted by Dr. Hector De Luca, Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, it was determined that bone ash measurements showed a significant trend toward elevations when boron was administered to vitamin D deficient animals. Using this model and 8-week treatments with fructo-borate, bone mineral content was increased by 5.8%. This result suggests that fructo-borate may increase bone density and strength.  In another study, supplementing the diet with fructo-borate increased vitamin D-3 levels in the blood an average of 24% after 60 days and also exhibited an increased serum level of DHEA—both of which are conducive to good bone health. Boron (Fructo-borate) can affect the strength of bones and joints most likely by cross linking the inorganic and organic bone/joint matrix and/or through different biochemical mechanisms that modulate activity of bone cells such as chondrocytes, osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Other nutrients that are important for a strong bone formula are Zinc 20 mgs, Copper  2 mgs, Manganese 2 mgs, Lactobacillus Sporogenes (bacillus coagulans, lactic acid bacteria) 1 billion (enhances mineral uptake), Silicon (as sodium metasilicate) 50 mgs. Make sure the zinc, copper and manganese are in chelate form for proper absorption.

Your Bones Are Either Strengthening Or Weakening
Forgive the pun, but your bones never sit still. They are either getting stronger as they assimilate nutrient building blocks and respond to healthy exercise, or they are weakening, as they lose minerals and become thinner due to inactivity. They are always in flux. No matter where you are on the bone spectrum, these natural interventions can make a difference and get you moving in the right direction. In Part TWO of this series on bone health, I will let you in on a few of my “secret weapons” for building better bones. One is a mineral that must stand alone (strontium), and one swims in the ocean. Stay tuned for the conclusion of “Saving Bones . . . Saving Lives!”

Dr. Teitelbaum and Terry recommend a formula with these ingredients. Look for them at your local health food store.

Vitamin D-3 (Cholecalciferol) 4,000 IU, Vitamin K-1 (as phytonadione) 300 mcgs, Calcium (as citrate and malate) 450 mgs, Magnesium (as chelate) 200 mgs, Zinc (as chelate) 20 mgs, Copper (as chelate) 2 mgs, Manganese (as chelate) 2 mgs, Boron (Fructo-borate) 12.5 mgs, Vitamin K-2 (Natto Extract MenaQ7™ menaquinone-7) 45 mcgs, Lactobacillus Sporogenes (bacillus coagulans, lactic acid bacteria) 1 billion, Silicon (as sodium metasilicate) 50 mgs

For More Information:

• Inflammation and Aging. Ronald E. Hunninghake, M.D. (Tape) The Center For the Improvement of Human Functioning International  (run by the late and wonderful Hugh Riorden, M.D.).
• Vitamin D plus calcium reduced fall risk by 60% in: Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Conzelmann M, Stähelin HB, Dick W, Carpenter MG, Adkin AL, Theiler R, Pfeifer M, Allum JH. Is fall prevention by vitamin D mediated by a change in postural or dynamic balance? Osteoporos Int. 2006;17(5):656-63. Epub 2006 Mar 1. PubMed PMID: 16508700.
• Adequate calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial to develop optimal peak bone mass and to preserve bone mass throughout life in: NIH Consensus Development Panel on Osteoporosis Prevention, Diagnosis, and Therapy. Osteoporosis prevention, diagnosis, and therapy. JAMA. 2001 Feb 14;285(6):785-95. Review. PubMed PMID: 11176917.
• Dr. Hector De Luca, Department of Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin. Information at: http://www.biochem.wisc.edu/faculty/deluca/default.aspx
• M.S. Seelig, “The Requirement of Magnesium by the Normal Adult,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 14 (June 1964): 342–390.
• F.L. Lakshmanad, et al., “Magnesium Intakes and Balances,” American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 60 (6 Supplement) (December 1984): 1380–1389.

 

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