Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis and Diet – Beyond Calcium.
November 7, 2011 | 
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Just a few short years ago, the bulk of dietary recommendations for osteoporosis revolved around calcium. But, over the past number of years, new players have come onto the field and calcium is now taking somewhat of a backseat when it comes to importance.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is the “sunshine vitamin”. While exposure to sunlight provides vitamin D, Canadians are at risk of seasonal vitamin D deficiency because winter sunlight in northern latitudes above 35º does not contain enough ultraviolet B for vitamin D production. Osteoporosis Canada’s new guidelines (July 2010) recommend daily supplements of 400 to 1000 IU for adults under age 50 without osteoporosis or conditions affecting vitamin D absorption. For adults over 50, supplements of between 800 and 2000 IU are recommended. I feel that everyone (especially those with osteoporosis) should have their vitamin D levels check (ask for 25-hydroxyvitamin D). This allows for individualized supplementation.
In my experience, most people in Nova Scotia need more than the recommended amounts to maintain optimal levels of vitamin D.
Magnesium
Magnesium is a very important mineral, and vitamin D’s most important cofactor. In fact, it has been shown that low levels of magnesium inhibit formation of the active form of Vitamin D.
Food sources of magnesium include:
- Halibut
- Spinach
- Squash
- Seeds, especially pumpkin and toasted sesame
- Beans, especially pinto and black
- Plantain, raw
- Nuts, especially Brazil nuts, almonds, peanuts
Magnesium oxide is the most common form of magnesium sold, but only about 4% is absorbed, making it ineffective at providing the body’s magnesium needs. Magnesium taurate, glycinate, citrate, and gluconate have demonstrated higher absorption and bioavailability. Magnesium malate and glycinate are considered by many to be even more effective supplemental forms.
Vitamin K
This vitamin, once only known for it’s role in blood clotting is thought to be as important as Vitamin D and Calcium in maintaining bone health. Unlike other fat-soluble nutrients, vitamin K is not stored in the body and must be received daily through diet or supplementation. In fact, research indicates one can become deficient in vitamin K in as little as 7 days. While there are 3 types of vitamin K, K2 is an important cofactor for Vitamin D.
Green leafy vegetables are the best source of vitamin K – another good reason to eat them!
Boron
Boron is a trace mineral, recently found to be important in bone health. It is found in many foods, but concentrated in:
- fresh fruits and vegetables
- nuts
- seeds
- honey
- dried prunes
So what about Calcium? Do I still need to take it?
Calcium is still a very important mineral in preventing and treating osteoporosis. However, most of the recent research seems to indicate that you can get too much of a good thing, and that less is more when it comes to calcium. A recent study, which analyzed data from the WHI (Women’s Health Initiative) found that women who started taking calcium and vitamin D had increased risk for heart attack and stroke. But, dietary sources of calcium aren’t a problem – so be sure to include good sources of calcium every day. And, discuss the need for calcium supplements with your ND or MD.
M. J. Bolland, A. Grey, A. Avenell, G. D. Gamble, I. R. Reid. Calcium supplements with or without vitamin D and risk of cardiovascular events: reanalysis of the Women’s Health Initiative limited access dataset and meta-analysis. BMJ, 2011; 342 (apr19 1): d2040 DOI: 10.1136/bmj.d2040
Posted in Naturopathic Medicine, Nutrition, Osteoporosis, Uncategorized, womens health | 
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Straighten Up and Weight Bear Right
Bone resembles a honeycomb in its internal structure, and it’s this honeycomb design that gives bone it’s strength. In somebody with Osteoporosis the holes in the comb become larger and the bone forming the comb pattern becomes thinner.
As many are aware, putting weight through your bones makes them stronger; hence weight bearing exercises have become the gold standard in osteoporosis prevention and maintenance. However, due to poor posture many people actually put less weight through their bones than they should and more through their soft tissues. This poor posture tends to worsen as osteoporosis progresses unless a conscious effort is made to counteract it. At the very least if you are going to do weight bearing exercises doesn’t it make sense that you actually load the bones and not the soft tissues? It makes even more sense that if you spend most of your day sitting, standing and walking that you should maximize the weight you put through your bones during these activities as well.
You might think that correcting your posture is as easy as standing in front of a mirror and simply re-positioning everything until it looks “right”…..practice makes perfect doesn’t it? Not always. Due to things like scar tissue, joint stiffness, cranial restrictions and dysfunction of internal organs it may be impossible to maintain your new position for very long….if at all. Sometimes you need some help relieving tension in your tissues. Once the restrictions to good posture have been relieved you will be surprised at how much easier it is to stand tall and aligned. Happy weight bearing!
One final note…..don’t forget to eat your prunes! A new study just published in September of this year confirmed that eating 100g of prunes per day, in combination with your prescribed Calcium and Vitamin D, can actually IMPROVE bone mineral density!
(Shirin Hooshmand, Sheau C. Chai, Raz L. Saadat, Mark E. Payton, Kenneth Brummel-Smith and Bahram H. Arjmandi (2011). Comparative effects of dried plum and dried apple on bone in postmenopausal women. British Journal of Nutrition, 106 , pp 923-930 doi:10.1017/S000711451100119X)
Tags: Osteoporosis and Exercise
Osteoporosis is a progressive disease in which the bones become weaker, causing changes in posture and increasing susceptibility to fractures. Because of the physiological, nutritional, and hormonal differences between males and females, osteoporosis mainly affects women. Bone mass, the amount of mineral in the bone, generally reaches its peak when a woman is between the ages of 30 and 35. After that, it then begins to decline.
While certain minerals and vitamins are crucial for proper bone health, exercise is another vital factor. When bones get regular weight-bearing and resistance exercise, the body responds by depositing more minerals in the bones, especially the bones of the legs, hips and spine. Conversely, a lack of regular exercise accelerates the loss of bone mass.
Many researchers have attempted to pinpoint which types of exercises are most effective at improving bone mass density, however results have varied. The BEST (Bone-Estrogen Strength Training) Project at the University of Arizona identified six specific weight training exercises that yield the largest improvements. This project suggests squats, military press, lat pulldown, leg press, back extension and seated row, with 3 weight training sessions a week of 2 sets of each exercise, alternating between moderate (6-8 reps) and heavy (4-6 reps). In regards to weight-bearing exercises, the most improvements were seen in individuals who participated in regular walking, gymnastic training, stepping and jumping.
It is also important to keep in mind that other than improving bone mass, regular weight-bearing and resistance exercise will help improve balance, gait and a reduction of falls.