Osteoporosis, the silent disease of later
life. Silent, in that there is usually no pain or sign included in this
condition until it is very well advanced. A broken bone may be the first
indication that your bones have become thin. Osteoporosis literally means
porous bones. Although the entire skeleton may be included, bone loss is
usually greatest in the spine, hips and ribs. Since these bones bear a great
deal of weight, they are then susceptible to pain, deformity or fracture.
Normally there is a decline in bone loss after the age of 40. This bone loss is
accelerated in patients with Osteoporosis. Many factors can lead to excessive
bone loss. For example, many endocrine diseases like Diabetes are linked to
Osteoporosis. Certain drugs are also related to Osteoporosis like Alcohol,
Steroids, and Methotrexate, to name a few. The most common form of Osteoporosis
is seen in post-menopausal women.
Is Osteoporosis preventable? Yes, definitely. Recently there has been an
incredible push for supplementing calcium in an effort to halt bone loss. While
this appears to be sound medical advice, Osteoporosis is much more than a lack
of dietary calcium; it is a complex condition involving lifestyle, hormonal,
nutritional and environmental factors.
Lack of exercise causes weak muscles, which gives little support to the
skeletal system and forces the bones to bear greater weight, as well as
depriving the body of oxygen supply and circulation, which are needed for
tissue renewal that slows aging. Physical exercise is vital in maintaining and
restoring optimum bone density. A 45-minute to an hour walk, three to five
times a week, is the minimum exercise for preventing Osteoporosis.
The absorption of calcium is dependent on a number of factors, firstly
it needs to be ionised in the stomach by stomach acid. It has been found that
up to 40% of postmenopausal women have not sufficient stomach acids to absorb
calcium carbonate, to any great degree. Patients with low stomach acid need to
use Calcium citrate, Calcium lactate or calcium gluconate. About 45% of the
Calcium is absorbed from Calcium citrate in patients with reduced stomach acid,
compared to 4% absorption for calcium carbonate.
Another mineral that is necessary for bone growth is magnesium. It seems
that magnesium is as important as calcium for bone mass. Intake of dairy foods
fortified with vitamin D, results in decreased Magnesium absorption. Again take
Magnesium in a citrate form for best results. Calcium citrate 1gram plus
Magnesium citrate 500mg every day is the recommended supplementation. Vitamin D
is also essential for calcium absorption. Vitamin D is made in the body in the
presence of sunlight, another good reason to get outside for a walk.
Supplementation may be necessary if you don’t get enough sunlight, 400 IU of
vitamin D daily.
Vitamin B6, folic acid and vitamin B12 are also involved in the
presentation of Osteoporosis. These vitamins are necessary to prevent the
formation of Homocysteine which has been linked to many diseases. So take a
Homocysteine modulation supplement to avoid high Homocysteine levels and
Osteoporosis.
David Foley
MRCHM, MNIMH
Medical Herbalist
