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Preventing and Treating Osteoporosis

Easier to prevent Osteoporosis, than it is to reverse

Sacramento, Calif. -Just as any disease, it’s always much easier to prevent Osteoporosis, than it is to reverse it. There are several reasons why our bones can become more porous with age.

Bone density begins to decrease after the age of 30. For women, bones become more fragile after age 50 with the natural decrease in estrogen that accompanies menopause. For men, bone fragility occurs around the age of 65. Often, the only warning signs of Osteoporosis are a more stooped posture or the loss of height. Otherwise, there may not be any symptoms until a bone break occurs, which in the elderly can sometimes be fatal.

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Bone density is measured using a DXA (pronounced Dexa) Scan. The DXA Scan is a bone mineral density test. The T-score measures the minerality of the bone matrix. A T-score of 0 to -1 is normal bone density, whereas a T-score of -1 to -2.5 means Osteopenia, and a T-score of or below -2.5 is a diagnosis of Osteoporosis.

Vitamin D

One of the most important nutrients involved is Vitamin D. Of course, Calcium is important, however, vitamin D regulates the body’s use of calcium. Most of us are not deficient in calcium, whereas vitamin D deficiency has been declared an epidemic in the United States. Every muscle of the body requires calcium to fire, including the heart and lungs, which constantly need calcium. However, when vitamin D is low, rather than taking the calcium from our nutrition, the body will leach it from bone. Vitamin D is the most crucial nutrient for building strong bones, preventing bone loss, and reversing already existing Osteopenia or Osteoporosis.

The only natural source of Vitamin D is sun exposure. In order to absorb optimal amounts of vitamin D from sunlight, it requires at least 10 minutes of full-body, naked exposure to peak hours of sun per day! If you don’t receive that amount of sun exposure, you will be deficient without supplementation. Genetically, those with darker complexions have ancestors from a place in the world that was very sunny, and their ancestors evolved over time to have reduced vitamin D receptors, so they wouldn’t become poisoned from too much sun exposure. Therefore, those with darker skin are more prone to Vitamin D deficiency and often require larger doses of vitamin D supplementation to correct their deficiencies and maintain optimal levels. All of this explains why deficiency is so common. A lifetime of Vitamin D deficiency is the number one cause of Osteopenia, Osteoporosis and elderly bone breaks later in life.

Other Important Nutrients:

  • Calcium-
    o The best food sources of calcium are dairy, whole grains, beans, almonds, other nuts, and dark green leafy veggies.
    o Never supplement with calcium without also supplementing Vitamin D3, as vitamin D is required for calcium absorption and with a vitamin D deficiency, the calcium will be deposited as calcifications in the body, increasing the likelihood of heart disease and calcification of blood vessels.
    o Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite (MH) is a form of calcium that has been shown to drastically improve bone density better than any other form of calcium. Otherwise, calcium citrate is the best form of calcium to supplement with.
  • Magnesium:
    o A very common deficiency, not only due to the lack of it in the standard American diet, but also because of the depleted soils.
    o Food sources include nuts, whole grains, dark green veggies, fish, meat and legumes.
  • Boron:
    o Dietary sources are fruits, veggies, soybeans and nuts.
  • Strontium:
    o Helpful for re-mineralization of bone.
    o Best taken away from Calcium for optimal absorption.
  • Isoflavones:
    o Found in soy, lentils, split peas and miso.
  • Vitamin K:
    o Best food sources are dark green vegetables like kale, Swiss chard, parsley and spinach.

Botanical medicine for osteoporosis includes mineral-rich herbs like red clover, stinging nettle and oat straw. Another important factor in bone density is weight-bearing exercise. Weight puts pressure on the bones, which improves the strength and density of the bones.

These recommendations can be beneficial for anyone wanting to prevent or reverse Osteoporosis. However, an element of treatment in naturopathic medicine is doing the detective work to uncover the underlying causes of disease, which can be unique to each person. When we can identify the root causes, we can treat those directly, which will have more impact than any general recommendations can have. Consider working with a naturopathic doctor for the most customized care possible.

Explore additional topics from Sacramento Naturopathic Medical Center with Dr. Godby, ND, MA and his team at Natural Wellness.

As a naturopathic doctor for the last 20 years, I have witnessed the power of a preventative lifestyle and naturopathic medicine to transform the health and lives of thousands of patients.

Sacramento Naturopathic
2530 J Street, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95816
Phone: (916) 446-2591
sac-nd.com/dr-dennis-godby-nd-ma

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