Have you ever wondered why we lose our teeth and get diseases like Osteoporosis, but at the same time can have calcification going on in soft tissues like the eyes, arteries, heart valves, and joints? This is also known as the calcium paradox.
Osteoporosis (OSS-tee-oh-pore-OH-sis) is a disease occurring mostly in older adults due to a loss of bone density and a breakdown of bone structure. The bones become porous, thin, and brittle. Osteoporosis is a major health problem in the U.S.
From a biochemical standpoint it is not that difficult to explain. As we get older we get out less and get a lot less sun, which produces vitamin D, and we also tend to move less, tending to get less exercise. Both of these issues affect calcium absorption and utilization.
There are other factors, too. Americans don't eat enough colorful fruits and vegetables which contain phytonutrients and alkalizing elements that have been shown to improve bone health.
As we age we don't digest or absorb nutrients as well as we did in our youth. After age 40, we begin to produce less hydrochloric acid in the stomach which is involved in digesting proteins and minerals out of foods we eat. Also, many people use drugs like Prilosec that stop the production of stomach acids in a bad attempt at stopping acid reflux disease.
Also, if you drink soda, which contains high levels of phosphorous, you will leach calcium from your bones. Dr. Michael Murray from the Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine concluded, “It appears that increased soft drink consumption is a major factor that contributes to osteoporosis.” Furthermore, Dr. Elson Haas, author of The Detox Diet states, “Tooth loss, periodontal disease, and gingivitis can be problems, especially with a high phosphorus intake particularly from soft drinks.”
Americans eat a diet high in calcium and have been getting calcium tablets recommended to them for years as well thinking this was the problem. It didn't work because calcium in the diet is not the main issue. It is the lack of digestion, high consumption of phosphorus, as well as nutrient deficiencies like D3, C, K2, magnesium, Boron, B-6, B-12, etc, that are the main culprits.
Recent research is telling us that 70% of Americans, especially in the north, are vitamin D deficient. Low magnesium levels are found in roughly 40% to 60% of the population, not to mention boron, B-12, B-6, and K2. All these nutrients are involved in making calcium work properly in the body. Without them calcium goes where it shouldn't, the soft tissues, and does not get placed in the bones where it belongs. Also, trace minerals like copper, manganese, and zinc play a role in calcium absorption.
As a way to support this issue I have formulated 2 products.
One is called Bone Minerals that deals with digestion and basic minerals and Bone Health for people who don't need more digestive acid.
I also have formulated a product for people who have Periodontal issues called Periodontal Health.
From another source I also like a multi called Synergy CardioLift that focuses on heart health, which has all the nutrients that I speak about above, as well as Resveratrol which improves bone health at the gene expression level.
Enjoy this week's supporting studies and articles.
Remember it is never too late to become younger...
cw
Vitamin C may protect elderly gents from bone loss...
Higher levels of vitamin C from the diet may reduce the loss of bone mineral density in elderly men, says a new study from the US.
But higher intakes of the vitamin from supplements may only have a beneficial effect on the bone health of male smokers, according to findings published in the new issue of the Journal of Nutrition.
Natural Vitamin K2 Intake Associated With Reduced Risk Of Hip Fractures In New Japanese Study...
Results of the study conducted by Yaegashi, et al., indicated that dietary vitamin K2 intake, especially from the food natto (menaquinone-7; MK-7), is associated with a significantly decreased risk of hip fracture.
Fight Osteoporosis: Bone Up On B12...
ScienceDaily (Apr. 23, 2005) — Women are about four times more likely than men to develop osteoporosis, or weak, porous bones. But a new study links vitamin B12 deficiency with low bone mineral density in men, and confirms similar, previously reported findings in women.
CALCIUM AND VITAMIN D — NEW INSIGHTS...
How much calcium do we really need? And how should we get it? The dairy companies are continually urging us to consume more of their product, implying that this will help prevent osteoporosis (thin bones) and the consequent hip fractures. But are dairy products actually effective in preventing fractures?
Unfortunately for the dairy companies, there is little compelling evidence that milk consumption in the usual quantities really decreases the risk of breaking a bone. It seems that drinking another glass or two of ordinary milk each day is unlikely to help. So what does help?
THE NURSES’ STUDY...Probably the best study to date on this topic is that of Professor Walter Willett of the Harvard Medical School, who has studied 72,000 American nurses for eighteen years1. His researchers' regularly recorded the women’s diet, and their nutritional supplement use, over the course of the study and noted the number of post-menopausal hip fractures that they suffered. Statistical analysis of the data showed that there was no significant relationship between the number of hip fractures and the amount of milk that they consumed. In other words, more milk did not help. The same study also found that calcium supplements averaging 400 to 500 milligrams per day were without detectable effect on the rate of hip fracture in these women, who were consuming typical American diets.
Boron: Under-Appreciated Mineral Enhances Cognition, Bone and Joint Health...
Boron is perhaps one of the least known and underappreciated minerals. Its bone- and joint-supporting abilities are often neglected in favor of calcium, when in reality it works with calcium to maintain healthy bones. Few individuals are aware of the other ways boron is important to health, including a surprising ability to enhance cognition. Because boron is so important to many aspects of health, it is particularly troubling that many individuals are deficient in this important mineral, increasing the risk of osteoporosis and arthritis.
Since 1923 boron has been recognized as an essential nutrient for plants. Among plants the deficiency of boron is the most common deficiency of any trace element.
Magnesium boosts bone health in teenage girls ...
(NaturalNews) Girls who take magnesium supplements as adolescents may be giving themselves stronger bones for the future.
Researchers at the Yale University School of Medicine took a selection of Caucasian girls aged eight to 14 and gave them either a daily 300 mg supplement of magnesium oxide – taken in two doses – or a placebo. The year-long test was double-blind. "It's not surprise to find that magnesium supplementation boosts bone density," said consumer health advocate Mike Adams, author of "The Seven Laws of Nutrition." "Combined with adequate sunlight exposure to generate vitamin D plus healthy calcium consumption, magnesium completes the puzzle and delivers outstanding bone health to women of all ages."
Nutrient Supports Bone Health Over Time...
ScienceDaily (Jan. 23, 2009) — Findings from a new study suggest that natural pigments found in plants may help protect against bone loss in older men and women. Researchers funded by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) reported the findings in a paper published online by The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.
Consuming Cola May Up Osteoporosis Risk For Older Women, Study Suggests...
ScienceDaily (Oct. 7, 2006) — According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, approximately 55 percent of Americans, mostly women, are at risk of developing osteoporosis, a disease of porous and brittle bones that causes higher susceptibility to bone fractures. Now, Katherine Tucker, PhD, director of the Epidemiology and Dietary Assessment Program at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, and colleagues have reported findings in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition that cola, a popular beverage for many Americans, may contribute to lower bone mineral density in older women, a condition which increases risk for osteoporosis.
Important Vitamin D Update...
A meta-analysis of 18 randomized controlled trials has found that supplemental vitamin D significantly reduces mortality from all causes.The analysis emphasizes the medical, ethical, and legal implications of promptly diagnosing and adequately treating vitamin D deficiency.Not only are such deficiencies common, but vitamin D deficiency is implicated in most of the diseases of civilization. Vitamin D's final metabolic product targets more than 200 human genes in a wide variety of tissues. One of the most important genes vitamin D up-regulates is for cathelicidin, a naturally occurring broad-spectrum antibiotic.
Neutralizing Acidosis And Bone Loss Among Mature Adults...
ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2009) — A new study funded in part by the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) suggests that neutralizing an acid-producing diet may be an important key to reducing bone breakdown, or "turnover," while aging. The study comes on the heels of several ARS-reported studies suggesting that consuming more-than-recommended amounts of calcium may not be the main answer to protecting bone.
Key nutrients for bone health — vitamin B12 (cobalamin)...
Because of their role in the detoxification of homocysteine, vitamins B6, B12, and folic acid have all been recently added to our list of important bone-protecting nutrients. Osteoblasts, the body’s bone-building cells, require an adequate supply of B12, or their ability to function properly will be compromised. Vitamin B12 deficiency anemia has been associated with osteoporosis, and having low serum levels of vitamin B12 has also been associated recently with frailty in older women.
Christopher Wiechert's Healthblogger is for educational or informational purposes only, and is not intended to diagnose or provide treatment for any condition. If you have any concerns about your own health, you should always consult with a health care professional. If you decide to use this information on your own, it's your constitutional right, but I assume no responsibility. The views expressed on this website are those of the health professionals & scientists I list or my own opinions and are not intended to replace any medical advice you may require. The contents have not been approved by the Pharmaceutical Association, the American Medical Association, or the Food and Drug Administration. This website may present views diametrically opposed to the views of such organizations.
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